The Leslie Marshall Show

Project 2025: The Plan To Seize Power by Gutting America’s System of Checks and Balances

Leslie is joined by Joe Radosevich.  He is the Vice President for Campaigns and Outreach in the Advocacy and Outreach Department at the Center for American Progress. He works across teams to advance the organization’s priorities with external partners and elected leaders.

Leslie and Joe discuss the extensive piece he co-wrote with Will Ragland, titled, "Project 2025: The Plan To Seize Power by Gutting America’s System of Checks and Balances."

Here is the beginning of the eye-opening guide:

"The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 is a road map for how a new far-right presidential administration can take over the country. The project contains four components: a 920-page book with far-right policy proposals, a personnel database of loyalists ready to replace tens of thousands of civil servants, a private online training center, and an unpublished plan for the first 180 days of a new administration.

Many of the proposals in Project 2025 are sweeping and would eliminate fundamental personal freedoms while cutting the take-home pay of millions of Americans. Unsurprisingly, Project 2025’s policies to increase taxes on the middle class, allow corporations to stop paying workers overtime, implement a national abortion ban, and raise the retirement age for Social Security are wildly unpopular.

That is why the most striking aspect of Project 2025 is a new strategy to gut the system of checks and balances that has long protected Americans’ personal freedoms. This strategy would concentrate power in the hands of the president—and set in motion a plan to flood the civil service with far-right loyalists to seize control of independent agencies. It is a playbook written for an authoritarian administration. This new vision would make it even harder for the American people to have a say in their government or oppose policies they disagree with.

The scope of Project 2025 is extensive. An ongoing series from the Center for American Progress unpacks specific proposals in Project 2025, from raising the cost of prescription drugs and restricting access to contraception, to slashing funding for early childhood and K-12 education. There are proposals to end civil rights protections, exploit the most vulnerable Americans, stop safeguards that protect clean drinking water, halt action to combat the climate crisis, and open the door to an unprecedented level of corruption at the expense of the public. Taken together, Project 2025 is a plan for a presidency focused on consolidating and holding on to power.

Many of the policies listed in the public 920-page agenda can be grouped into three core areas:
    - Gut the U.S. system of checks and balances to consolidate power.
    - Take away Americans’ fundamental personal freedoms.
   -  Raise costs on the middle class to give the wealthy billions."

Read the rest at this link: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025-the-plan-to-seize-power-by-gutting-americas-system-of-checks-and-balances/

Before joining American Progress, Joe served in a variety of senior roles for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. As Governor Shapiro’s Chief of Staff, Joe led the combined legal and communications strategy that successfully defended Pennsylvania’s election results in 2020, and expanded the role of the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office into labor and environmental crimes.
The website for The Center for American Progress Action Fund is www.AmericanProgressAction.org.

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Talks Presidential Election

Leslie is joined by Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the 60 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO. On June 13, 2022, he was unanimously elected to the position as the highest ranking African American officer in the history of America’s labor movement.

He first discusses with Leslie why, as President, Donald Trump was a disaster for workers and their unions.
Then, Fred details that the AFL-CIO supports Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because they are fighting every day to lift up working people.
Next, he explains how the 'Blue Wall' has been built by organized labor.
Finally, Fred recaps how he and his fellow Union leaders championed Vice President Kamala Harris as the choice for working class folks in a series of speeches on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention last week.

The website for the AFL-CIO is www.AFLCIO.org and their handle on Facebook, Instagram and X is @AFLCIO.  Fred's handle on X is @STRedmond.

Expert Analysis of Harris' Plan to Make Housing More Affordable

Leslie is joined by Jim Parrott, a nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute, where he is part of their Housing Finance Policy Center.  Jim is also owner of Parrott Ryan Advisors, which provides strategic advice on housing finance issues to financial institutions active in the primary and secondary mortgage market.

The two discuss the Opinion piece he co-wrote for the Washington Post with Moody Analytics' Chief Economist Mark Zandi.  It's titled, "Harris Plan Could Solve the Longtime Affordable Housing Crisis."
(Link here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/21/harris-affordable-housing/)

Before joining Urban in 2013, Jim Parrott spent several years in the Obama White House as a senior adviser at the National Economic Council, where he led the team of advisers charged with counseling the cabinet and president on housing issues. Before his time in the White House, Parrott was counsel to Secretary Donovan at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The website for the Urban Institute is www.Urban.org.

Harris and Walz Deliver Wins for Workers

Leslie is joined by Roxanne Brown, the USW’s International Vice President at Large, who oversees the union’s public policy and legislative agenda as well as its political work. She has spent more than two decades advancing policies on Capitol Hill and with regulatory agencies on behalf of USW members. She has extensive experience in manufacturing, environmental and energy policy.

The two discuss how Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate Tim Walz, have been delivering wins for workers throughout their public service lives. It comes down to values:

• Working people need a candidate who will fight for them.
• USW members told their leadership that they most value retirement security, affordable health care, labor laws that support their ability to form Unions and negotiate strong contracts, alongside safe, healthy workplaces, worker-centered trade, and a strong industrial policy that supports American manufacturing.
• Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have a strong record delivering on all these issues.

Vice President Kamala Harris serves as a crucial part of the most pro-labor administration of our lifetimes, which breathed new life into domestic manufacturing and established the nation’s first industrial policy in decades. 

• This includes infrastructure and other investments rooted in strong 'Buy America' provisions.
• Policies to build stronger, more resilient supply chains.
• She took charge of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, breaking down barriers for workers forming Unions.
• She also walked the picket line with striking UAW workers.

Harris was also the tie breaker on a number of key votes that advanced the interests of working families.

• The USW worked for years to pass the Butch-Lewis Act and protect the pensions of more than a million workers whose retirements hung in the balance through no fault of their own. Not a single Republican voted for the American Rescue Plan, which included Butch-Lewis, but thanks to VP Harris, it passed.
• Her work as a tie-breaker also enabled the administration’s efforts to return the National Labor Relations Board to its mission of empowering working people, rather than serving the interests of wealthy corporations.

Even before she was the Vice President, Harris fought for workers.

• As a Senator, Harris fought for legislation to address workplace violence in health care and social service settings.
• As California's Attorney General, she cracked down on corporate creed, took on the big banks, and defended vulnerable workers against wage theft.
• She fought for labor protections and fair wages for agricultural and domestic workers.

Harris’ choice of running mate also shows that she prioritizes workers and shares their values. Tim Walz was himself a Union educator, who over his career:

• Paved the way for more workers to have access to paid sick and family leave;
• Made major strides in protecting workers’ health and safety on the job;
• Improved standards for patients and workers at Minnesota’s nursing homes;
• Strengthened Union organizing and collective bargaining rights;
• Expanded unemployment benefits and took steps to protect workers from wage theft and other abuses.

The choice is clear. Workers need elected officials who will fight on their side, and both Harris and Walz have clear, pro-worker records.

You can follow Roxanne on X, where her handle is @BrownRox. Follow the USW on X, Facebook and Instagram, using the handle @steelworkers, and visit their website at USW.org.

'Made in USA' Shines at the Olympics with Team USA's Opening and Closing Ceremony Uniforms!

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. 

The two discuss how Team USA athletes at this year's Olympic Games in Paris came to wear opening and closing ceremony uniforms that have been 100% exclusively made in America, with 100% domestically sourced materials.

During this conversation, the pair also talked about a recent episode of AAM's "The Manufacturing Report" podcast, hosted by Scott, where he interviewed family-run shoe manufacturer Rancourt & Co.Co-owner and President Mike Rancourt. Mike shared the process of creating these iconic, American-made shoes, how they came to work with Ralph Lauren for the designer's Team USA Olympic uniform, and the pride Rancourt & Co. shoes bring to the Lewiston, Maine community.You can listen to the episode, and all of the other episodes of "The Manufacturing Report," at SoundCloud.com/Keep-It-Made-In-America.

Scott also shared his first hand experience attending a recent event with Congressman Ro Khanna. Rep. Khanna laid out new legislation called the Modern Steel Act, which would see a robust steel industry that’s environmentally friendly, union-represented, and state-of-the-art. And Khanna wants to do it in America’s old steel towns, bringing new life to the communities who built our nation. So Khanna came to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, kicking off his new initiative inside the long-shuttered Bethlehem Steel railcar wheel plant.

For over 17 years, Mr. Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy.

Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA.
Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM. 

Kamala Harris Quickly Unites Democratic Party, Leaving Trump-Vance Campaign Reeling

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Bloomberg Government's Kate Ackley to discuss Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, which launched just a week ago, but has already hit some impressive metrics with voter enthusiasm and fundraising totals.

Then, Sarah Jones, Editor-In-Chief of Politicus USA, analyzes how the Trump-Vance campaign has been reeling since President Biden announced he would not be seeking re-election a week ago.
They also discuss the phone calls that volunteers are organizing for different groups of constituents on behalf of the new Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Kate Ackley's handle on X is @kackleyZ and the website for Bloomberg Government is bgov.com.Sarah Jones' handle on X is PoliticusSarah and the website for Politicus USA is PoliticusUSA.com.
Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles.
You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on X is @BradBannon.

Biden Bows Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Vice President Harris

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is joined by two accomplished political guests to discuss the unprecedented history that has taken place within the past 24 hours, with President Biden electing not to run for re-election, and instead, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.

Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of the 'Cook Political Report.'

Then, for the second half of the show, Brad's guest is Juliane Schäuble, US Correspondent for Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin's biggest newspaper.

Charlie's handle is on X is @CharlieCookDC.  Juliane's handle there is @berlin_juliane.

Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles.
You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on X is @BradBannon.

Why Enforcement of the 'Made in USA' Label is SO Important; Biden Admin Awards Grants for EV Manufacturing

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union.

Here are the topics that they discuss:

1. Polling shows that American shoppers prize the "Made in USA" label and are willing to pay more for it—something that ​counterfeiters are all too happy to capitalize. So how can the Federal Trade Commission protect the integrity of "Made in USA"? AAM is out with a new explainer video that is shared with the audience.

***Call your Representatives today in support of the COOL Online Act at 202-224-3121.  
Use AAM's 'Made in America' online directory at AmericanManufacturing.org/made-in-america***

2. The U.S. is "frighteningly behind China" in global shipping, AAM President testified before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party at the end of June.
How can the U.S. correct course?

3. The Biden administration announced the investment of $1.7 billion dollars in grants for auto plant retooling projects across eight states as it works to transition the U.S. auto industry to electric vehicle technology.
 
4. U.S. brands like McDonald's, Apple, Starbucks, and Nike flocked to China to gain access to the world's second-largest consumer market, but Chinese companies are studying the West's formulas for success and pushing the competition out. Is the Chinese market fool's gold?

For over 17 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy.
Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA.
Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM. 

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Workers Need the PRO Act

Leslie is joined by Maria Somma, Organizing Director for the United Steelworkers (USW).

The pair explores why workers still need the PRO Act.

This includes white collar workers, which Maria shares multiple examples of with the audience.
Workers in the South are also eager to exercise their rights, though this is drawing backlash from anti-worker politicians in states like Georgia and Alabama.

The Biden administration has done important work to correct course at the NLRB, and there are pro-worker provisions in recent investments, which are helping smooth the way for workers to have a voice on the job.  This includes extensive new requirements for infrastructure projects to be “made in America” as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Known as the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA), this section of the law promises to stimulate American manufacturing and create jobs for American workers by ensuring that a substantial portion of BIL funding is used to purchase U.S.-made products and materials.

However, workers still face an uphill battle when it comes to forming unions.  The solution is to finally pass comprehensive legislation that shores up loopholes in our laws and attaches real, immediate penalties to corporations that violate workers’ rights. 
Leslie and Maria share the legislative solution to these issues, which is the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act).

They detail what the law would do, which is:
- Establish stronger and swifter remedies to stop employers from breaking the law
- Make companies recognize contractors as part of the collective bargaining process so they can no longer continue to whittle down Union membership by subcontracting
- Force an employer to reach a first contract in a timely manner with a newly organized group of workers. (No more dragging out first contracts)
- Reverse so-called 'Right to Work,' regardless of state laws
 - Prohibit employers from forcing employees to attend anti-union meetings
Recent polls show that support for unions is at a fifty-year high, and having Joe Biden, the only sitting President to walk a picket line, in office has helped workers a great deal.  But, it’s time for the law to catch up. 

Maria Somma has been an organizer for her entire career, first as a community organizer, and then as a labor organizer. 
She started with the Steelworkers in 2001 as a healthcare workers organizer, and became Organizing Director in 2015.
The website for the USW is www.USW.org.
Their handle on X and Instagram is @steelworkers. Like them on Facebook by visiting www.Facebook.com/Steelworkers.

Why Trump's Conviction is an Important Victory for the Rule of Law: Author of "Is MAGA a Terrorist Movement?"

Leslie is joined by Mike Sozan, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
The two analyze the significance of former President Donald Trump being found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his New York election interference case.
They also chat about Mike's new piece for the DC Journal, titled, "COUNTERPOINT: Trump’s Conviction Is an Important Victory for the Rule of Law."

Then, Leslie is joined by whose new book, "Is MAGA a Terrorist Movement?", has reached #1 best-seller status on Amazon in seven categories, including Campaigns and Elections.

In addition to previewing the book, the pair discusses:

• Top reasons that MAGA, by definition, is a domestic terrorist movement
• Textbook reasons that the January 6th insurrection was a terrorist attack on home soil
• Here's what pseudo-Christians and MAGA mean when they use the word, "Woke"
• What will America become if Trump is reelected in November?
• What peaceful actions can be taken to counteract MAGA?

Mike Sozan is a top expert on American democracy, and served as former Senator Mark Udall’s Chief of Staff, worked for former Senators Jim Webb and Bill Nelson, and also served as an Attorney for the Department of Justice and the FCC. 
The website for the Center for American Progress Action Fund is www.AmericanProgressAction.org.
Their handle on X is @CAPAction, on Facebook is @AmericanProgressAction, and on Instagram is @FightForProgress.

Russell Jack is a former US Federal Air Marshal, spent years inside the government, working alongside MAGA supporters. He has decades of experience in detecting, deterring, and defeating terrorism and criminal activity.
He is passionate in his defense of Democracy, currently under attack by the terrorist group known as MAGA (Make America Great Again). He hopes his book and his website will promote critical thinking about protecting our Democracy, and just how precariously close we are to losing it forever.
His website, where you can purchase the book, is www.MAGATerrorism.com, and you can follow him on Facebook, where his handle is @MAGATerrorism.