The Leslie Marshall Show

The USW’s Next Generation Program and the Future of the Labor Movement

Leslie is joined by Connie Mabin, Director of New Media at the United Steelworkers International Union. A third-generation Steelworker, Connie is responsible for overseeing the union’s digital platforms. She also leads the USW 'Next Generation' program that aims to grow the union from within, as well as in the communities where we live and work through education, mentoring, inclusion and community service.

The two discuss the USW’s 'Next Generation' program and the future of the labor movement.

Here are some of the points that they covered during the interview:

· The USW’s Next Gen young workers program was started as a way to educate, empower and inspire young workers within the union. The USW recently had their very first International Next Gen conference – a huge success, including a day of community service.

· This is nothing new in the USW, but it added some structure to what they’ve always done over their history. This was especially important as they lost a generation due to deindustrialization in our nations and continued attacks on organizing; Baby Boomers retiring; and many employers hiring new workers for the first time in a long time.

· The timing is perfect as today’s young workers are embracing unions in ways we haven’t seen in generations

- In a 2012 ACL-CIO study, 48% of workers polled said they’d vote to create a union in their workplace.
- In a 2015 UCLA study, 6/10 millennials expressed an interest in joining a union.
- Today’s young people are leading movements, using technology and social media to organize and willing to fight for change: a perfect fit for the USW.

· Young people are choosing the USW. They are growing and diversifying into various industries, making them younger and stronger. Their recent organizing wins at Google and drives at the University of Pittsburgh are examples. Next Gen is a huge part of this.

· Next Gen is one of many efforts to make the USW accessible, relatable and relevant to millennials and others. Their social media channels (Facebook,Twitter, Instagram,YouTube, etc.) their creative organizing tactics, and their many education and activists programs are others.

· The research is clear that unions are the great equalizer for young people, who, unless we do something, could be the first generation ever to be worse off than their parents and grandparents for a number of reasons
- Average union weekly earnings are significantly higher than non-union earnings
- On average, union members also have better benefits and more retirement security than their non-union counterparts.
- Strengthening workers’ rights is essential to reducing economic inequality for young people and others

The USW's website is USW.org and their Twitter handle is @steelworkers. Connie's handle is @ConnieMabin. The social media hashtag for the USW's 'Next Generation' program is #NG2019.

What Do Americans Think of the Impeachment Hearings So Far?

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 new show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Paul Lisnek is a multi-Emmy, Cablefax, Telly and Beacon Award winning television host and analyst. Paul has been the political analyst for WGN-TV since 2008, appearing on all the station’s newscasts discussing political issues of the day. He is the host of Politics Tonight on CLTV, on which he interviews the leading political figures in the city, state and country, and also serves as a fill-in anchor. Paul has interviewed presidents, governors, senators, congressmen, local representatives and mayors too numerous to count over the last 25 years.

 

His Twitter handle is @PaulLisnek.

Paul and Brad discuss whether House Democrats have made an airtight case that President Trump attempted to extort Ukraine for 'dirt' on Vice President Biden in exchange for military aid.  They also analyze the response by Congressional Republicans to the impeachment testimony thus far.

During the second half of the show, Brad leads a political round-table with two guests who continue the impeachment discussion, including polling on the subject.

The two round table guests are Tim Zenk and Mark Grimaldi.  Tim is a Principle at 'Molecule,' a business and public affairs company, a former Democratic staffer, and a well known renewable energy expert. His Twitter handle is @greencrude.

Mark Grimaldi, or 'Marky Mark' as Leslie Marshall calls him, is the Executive Producer of this show and a Democratic Activist. His Twitter handle is @MarkJGrimaldi.

Brad writes a column every Sunday on the 2020 Presidential race 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.
You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His Twitter handle is @BradBannon.

Presidential Politics: Battleground States, Young Voters and Trump's Control of GOP

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 new show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Editor and Publisher for 'The Cook Political Report.' Charlie's Twitter handle is @CharlieCookDC.

The two discuss the findings of a new Kaiser Family Foundation/Cook Political Report Partnership Poll in the four key battleground states of Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

 

During the second half of the show, Brad leads a political round-table with Nick Guthman and Mark Grimaldi, who discuss how the age of Democratic presidential candidates may be affecting their chances of winning their party's nomination.  They also discuss the work that young voters are doing in organizing support for progressive issues and candidates.  Finally, they examine why Congressional Republicans continue their full-throated support of President Trump, despite his impeachable offenses.

Nick Guthman is Co-Founder of 'Blue Future,' a national organizing program run out of the Youth Progressive Action Catalyst, a youth-led political action committee (PAC), focused on organizing young people around progressive electoral campaigns. His Twitter handle is @NickGuthman. The website for 'Blue Future' is www.OurBlueFuture.us.

Mark Grimaldi, or 'Marky Mark' as Leslie Marshall calls him, is the Executive Producer of this show and a Democratic Activist. His Twitter handle is @MarkJGrimaldi.

Brad writes a column every Sunday on the 2020 Presidential race 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.
You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His Twitter handle is @BradBannon.

Unpaid Internships and the Generational Wealth Gap

Today's guest hosts are Brent J. Cohen, Executive Director of Generation Progress, and Charlotte Hancock, Communications Director for Generation Progress.

They discuss unpaid internships and the generational wealth gap.

Earlier today, people peacefully gathered in Freedom Plaza in D.C. to call on employers to end the practice of unpaid internships and commit to paying interns for their work. Unpaid internships can be financially difficult or impossible for many young people to take on, but having prior internship experience is often critical for young people who are job-searching. This ultimately leaves young people who cannot afford to take on unpaid internships at a major disadvantage for years into their careers.

To dive deeper into this issue and the people it most affects, Brent and Charlotte are joined by two current interns who helped plan today’s 'Interns for Change' Rally,
Griffen Saul—the co-founder and CEO of 'We Are Able,' an Advocacy and Community Engagement Intern at the United Nations Foundation, and Initiative Coordinator for 'Interns for Change.' (Twitter - @GriffenSaul)
And Jaylun Hutchison—an investigative reporting intern at Voice of America, who has also been involved in the 'Interns For Change' initiative. (Twitter - @BLACKLVRBOY)You can find more information on 'Interns for Change' at www.PayTheInterns.com.

The website for "Generation Progress" is www.GenProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @GenProgress.  Brent J. Cohen's Twitter handle is @BrentJCohen and Charlotte Hancock's handle is @CharlatAnne.

Congressman Ro Khanna on His New State Based Universal Health Care Act

Leslie is rejoined by Congressman Ro Khanna.  He represents California's 17th congressional district, including Silicon Valley. His focus is to create proposals for jobs in areas left behind and tax credits for the working class. He believes in exercising restraint in foreign policy, and takes no PAC money!

The two discuss 'the State-Based Universal Health Care Act,' which Rep. Khanna introduced this past Friday.  The legislation is a landmark step toward empowering states to expand health coverage to every resident. Recognizing the unique position of American states to lead the push for universal health care, Rep. Khanna’s bill provides states with historic access to federal funding streams and regulatory flexibility necessary to implement and support affordable, universal health care plans.

You can read more about the plan here.

Follow Rep. Khanna on social media.  His Twitter handle is @RoKhanna and his Instagram handle is @RepRoKhanna.

Honoring Gold Star Families for Veterans Day

Leslie is joined by George Lutz, Founder and Executive Director of 'Honor and Remember Inc.', a non-profit organization dedicated to perpetually recognizing our fallen Military heroes and their families.  Through the creation of the 'Honor and Remember Flag,' the organization's mission is to establish a public national symbol that recognizes with gratitude and respect the men and women who died in military service to America.  Further goals include broad national awareness and education of the flag’s meaning and importance, and to present personalized Honor and Remember Flags to the immediate families of all our nation's fallen.

 

Leslie and George first discuss how and why George created the 'Honor and Remember Flag.'

George's son Tony was on patrol in Iraq when he was killed by a sniper’s bullet in 2005. As George and his family came to grips with the shock and emotional agony of this overwhelming loss, he began to reach out to other families of fallen soldiers (Gold Star Families). He found that more than anything, the families didn’t want their loved ones and sacrifice to be forgotten.

In 2008 he started 'Honor and Remember' to leave a legacy in the form of a national symbol: the Honor and Remember flag, the only symbol that publicly recognizes America's Fallen Heroes and their Families for their sacrifice. The Honor and Remember Flag is a tangible, iconic way to send a message to Gold Star Families that speaks words louder than thunder.

George is on a mission to have the Honor and Remember flag flown on every flagpole in America. 26 states have adopted the flag as their state symbol of honor and remembrance, and there are bills before the House and Senate for national adoption of the flag. To date, Honor and Remember has presented almost 4,000 handmade, personalized flags to families, and has a long waiting list.

Honor and Remember is a top rated charity, and as Americans are planning their upcoming Holiday get togethers, it’s important to remember the families whose loved ones will never be at the table again. Especially those for whom this is the first holiday season since their loss.

 

To finish the interview, Leslie reads from a new blog that George wrote for this year's Veterans Day.

 

Please consider donating to this great cause at www.honorandremember.org/donation.

What is Medicaid?

Today's guest hosts are Brent J. Cohen, Executive Director of Generation Progress, and Edwith Theogene, Organizing Director for Generation Progress.

They discuss all things Medicaid, the government program that provides health coverage to low-income people in the U.S.

Medicaid is one of the largest payers for health care in this country—as of July 2019, over 65 million people in the U.S. were enrolled in the program.

 

To break down exactly what Medicaid is, who the program helps, and the threats the program is facing, they’re joined today by Fabiola Carrión, the Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program, and Jamille Fields Allsbrook, Director of the Women’s Initiative at the Center for American Progress.

 

The website for "Generation Progress" is www.GenProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @GenProgress.  Brent J. Cohen's Twitter handle is @BrentJCohen and  Edwith Theogene's handle is @WhoIsEdwith.

How China and Their Policies Are Negatively Transforming the United States

Leslie is rejoined 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.

For over a decade, 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.

The two discuss how, while America thought it would be transforming China, China and its policies have been transforming the United States.  Unfortunately for Americans, many of those transformations have not gone well for the U.S. 

 

One of the most recent examples is how the stifling of free speech has crossed the Pacific Ocean from the People's Republic to our own backyard.  This has been apparent in the case of many U.S. companies cow-towing to China's demands to not give voice to Hong Kong and its pro-democracy protests.  One very public example has been the backlash to a pro Hong-Kong tweet by the owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey.

 

Leslie and Scott also discuss a massive series of thefts of biomedical secrets being stolen from some of the most prestigious medical schools in the U.S. and sent back to China.

 

Additionally, they analyze a new plan by Senator Marco Rubio that would block U.S. federal pensions from investing in China.

 

Finally, Scott helps to explain a new W.T.O. decision that will allow China to impose trade sanctions on U.S. goods.

 

The website for AAM is AmericanManufacturing.org and their Twitter handle is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's Twitter handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Medicare For All, and How to Pay For It

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 new show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

Brad is first joined by Wendell Potter, President of 'Business for Medicare for All.'  He is also the founder of the journalism nonprofit Tarbell.org and author of the New York Times bestseller 'Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans' and 'Nation on the Take: How Big Money Corrupts Our Democracy and What We Can Do About It.'

Wendell previously served as an executive for two of the country’s largest health insurers, Humana and Cigna. In 2008, he left his job as head of corporate communications at Cigna after what he has described as a crisis of conscience. He went on to become a leading advocate of health care reform and a critic of the U.S. health insurance industry. He has testified before Congress and state legislatures numerous times over the past decade and has been a frequent guest on TV and radio news programs.

 

Wendell's website is BusinessForMedicareForAll.com and his Twitter handle is @WendellPotter.

Wendell and Brad analyze how 'Medicare for All' compares with our current healthcare system in the U.S., as well as the viability of it passing through Congress if Senators Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders become our next President.  The two also discuss Senator Warren's recently announced 'Medicare for All' plan, including how it would be financed.

During the second half of the show, Brad leads a political round-table with two guests who continue the 'Medicare for All' discussion, and also discuss some recent 2020 battleground state polling.

The two round table guests are Tim Zenk and Mark Grimaldi.  Tim is a Principle at 'Molecule,' a business and public affairs company, a former Democratic staffer, and a well known renewable energy expert. His Twitter handle is @greencrude.

 

Mark Grimaldi, or 'Marky Mark' as Leslie Marshall calls him, is the Executive Producer of this show and a Democratic Activist. His Twitter handle is @MarkJGrimaldi.

Brad writes a column every Sunday on the 2020 Presidential race 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.
You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His Twitter handle is @BradBannon.

Home is Here: SCOTUS to Hear DACA Case

Today's guest hosts are Charlotte Hancock, Communications Director for Generation Progress, and Emily Leach, Senior Press Associate for Generation Progress.

 

In less than two weeks, on November 12th, the Supreme Court will hear a case on the Trump administration’s decision to terminate the DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, which allowed people who came to the U.S. as young children to stay and work in the only country they’ve ever really known. And as this episode is being recorded, a group of DACA recipients, also known as “Dreamers,” Temporary Protected Status holders, and allies are traveling 230 miles on foot from New York City to Washington, D.C as part of the 'Home is Here March.'  The march is being led by the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium, to draw attention to the case and to the need to protect the rights of undocumented people in this country.

To talk to Charlotte and Emily about the 'Home is Here' campaign, and the upcoming Supreme Court case, they're joined by Juan Manuel Guzman, the Advocacy and Policy Manager from 'United We Dream,' and Claudia Flores, the Immigration Campaign Manager at the Center for American Progress.

 

The website for 'United We Dream' is www.UnitedWeDream.org and their Twitter handle is @UnitedWeDream.  Juan Manuel Guzman's handle is @_jmguzman.  You can find CAP's Immigration team on Twitter with the handle @CAPImmigration and Claudia Flores with the handle @claudsDC.

The website for Generation Progress is www.GenProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @GenProgress.  Charlotte Hancock's handle is @CharlatAnne and Emily Leach's handle is @EmilyFLeach.