Episodes

Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Bipartisan Advocacy Organization for Children says BBB Puts Kids Last
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Bruce explains how the newly passed 'Big Beautiful Bill' "chooses billionaires over babies, and puts the nation’s children in unprecedented peril."
Here are just a few ways that the new law will hurt the nation’s children:
Cuts $1 trillion from Medicaid and CHIP: Medicaid and CHIP provide health insurance to over 37 million children in the United States and Medicaid covers nearly 40% of births. H.R.1 includes the largest funding cuts to these programs in their history and creates administrative burdens, such as lock-out periods and work requirements.
Defunds the largest child anti-hunger program: One-in-five children experience food insecurity. This bill cuts food assistance by cutting more than $200 billion from SNAP and places a larger cost share burden on states. This cost shift could cause states to end their programs or limit enrollment. Advocates argue that losing SNAP benefits could also impact free school meals, further risking a rise in child hunger.
Leaves children behind in tax policy: This legislation offers an inadequate Child Tax Credit. While some will see an increased credit amount, the increase still fails to keep pace with inflation. Even worse, the new structure keeps more than 20 million children from receiving the full credit and blocks 2.6 million kids from receiving any credit at all.
Undermines public schools: H.R.1 creates a new tax benefit for wealthy donors that jeopardizes the future of our public schools. This education voucher tax credit will offer 2-3x the benefit of other non-profit donations, incentivizing donations over other organizations. It is important to note research shows vouchers do not improve academic outcomes and disproportionately benefit families who already send their children to private schools.
Threatens the child care workforce: There is already a child care shortage in the country. H.R.1 will make it harder to recruit and train new child care professionals by prohibiting the use of federal student loans for sectors that do not earn over the median high school graduate salary. We must further invest in this profession and work to increase pay for providers, not create additional barriers to building a strong child care workforce.
Increases funding for family separation: H.R. 1 dramatically raises funding for immigration enforcement. This funding will lead to increased family separation and detention. These immigration practices disrupt entire communities and are known to create childhood trauma, adversely affecting child health and development.
Cancels efforts to address the climate crisis: H.R. 1 eliminates investments in solar and renewable energy leaving our children to deal with greater effects of climate change in the future. This measure comes as kids are experiencing adverse environmental health effects and natural disasters.
Forces kids to shoulder our ballooned national debt: H.R. 1 drives up the national debt by $3 trillion in order to give tax breaks to billionaires and industries like gun manufacturers. This bill expects our children to shoulder the cost of these tax breaks when they become adults while stripping them of essential services today.
The website for First Focus on Children is FirstFocus.org and their handle on BlueSky is @FirstFocus.bsky.social. Bruce's handle there is @BruceLesley.bsky.social.

Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
The two discuss what’s happening in the U.S. sanitation industry, the ongoing strikes at Republic Services, and why this moment matters for working families across the country.
Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on X and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters.

Monday Jul 07, 2025
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Brad is first joined by Mabinty Quarshie, White House Reporter for 'the Washington Examiner.'
The pair examines what's in the Republicans' newly passed 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' how Trump managed to convince wayward GOP congressional members to support such an unpopular bill, the implications the bill has on next year's congressional midterms, Virginia's statewide elections this year, and an update on Trump's tariffs.
Then, Bob Deans, Senior Advisor for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), talks about Trump and DOGE's cuts to the U.S. National Weather Service, and whether they contributed to the poor forecast and deaths in the Texas floods.
Then, they discuss how the cuts to clean energy manufacturing incentives will hurt the planet, as well as the United States' economy and manufacturing base.
Finally, they talk about Trump's executive orders, which have been devastating for our environment.
You can follow Mabinty Quarshie on X at @MabintyQ.
The website for NRDC is www.NRDC.org and their handle on BlueSky is @NRDC.org.
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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Monday Jun 30, 2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
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 CNN Military Analyst Cedric Leighton.
Col. Leighton (USAF-Ret.) gives the latest updates on Iran's nuclear program following missile strikes on their nuclear enrichment facilities by the Trump administration. He and Brad also discuss the U.N. nuclear agency disagreeing with the administration that the strikes have fully disabled Iran from enriching uranium for a nuclear weapon in the near future.
Then, Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, joins Brad to break down Congressional Republicans' 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' and why it's so intensely unpopular with Americans.
Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton. bsky.social.
The 'Social Security Works' website is www.socialsecurityworks.org and their handle on BlueSky is @socialsecurityworks.org. Alex's handle there is @alaw202.bsky.social.
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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Friday Jun 20, 2025
Friday Jun 20, 2025
The two discuss:
1. The Wall Street Journal recently documented the stark disparity between China and America’s military-industrial strength in a series of graphs. The results are downright alarming, especially as geopolitical tensions flare. The data illustrate the urgent need for the United States to take action to revitalize our domestic shipbuilding industry.
2. With tariffs coming into force, Made in the USA marketing is surging. U.S. consumers are rejiggering their purchasing habits, as evidenced by a boom in “Made in USA” searches on e-commerce sites, and companies are more than happy to tout their “Made in USA” commitments. (From Modern Retail: “Amazon searches for the phrase shot up to 126,000 from 26,000 in the past 30 days — nearly five times the previous period.”)
3. The state of our infrastructure and energy grid is dire. It’s a crisis that creates another obstacle to U.S. manufacturing’s renaissance and America’s competitiveness.
4. This time, the China Shock is global in nature. Beijing is flooding the world’s markets with its industrial overcapacity across all categories, and job losses and bankruptcies are trailing the imports.
WEBSITE: AmericanManufacturing.org
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@AmericanMfg (where you can watch episode's of AAM's podcast, "The Manufacturing Report")
(If you want to listen to episodes of "The Manufacturing Report," visit AmericanManufacturing.org/Podcast)
X: 1. AAM - @KeepItMadeInUSA 2. Scott Paul - @ScottPaulAAM
BlueSky: @keepitmadeinusa.bsky.social

Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
10 Years of Trump in Politics; NYC, Virginia and New Jersey Election Previews
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Brad is first joined by Charlie Cook, Founder of 'the Cook Political Report,' to talk about ten years of Trump in politics. This includes how he completely changed the Republican party's identity, and what might happen to the GOP once Trump is no longer President.
Then, Kim Scott, Publisher of 'Dem List,' previews the NYC Mayoral primary election.
She also details the upcoming Governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey, which tend to be a bellwether for the following year's midterm elections in Congress.
Kim Scott's 'Demlist' is a free national daily political column, calendar and resource site for Democrats and allies - a unique, central source that connects people to the who, what and where of Democratic events, issues and activism. You can find out more about them at DemList.com and follow them on BlueSky at the handle @demlist.bsky.social.
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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Monday Jun 09, 2025
Monday Jun 09, 2025
Brad is first joined by CNN Military Analyst Cedric Leighton.
Col. Leighton (USAF-Ret.) gives the latest updates on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
He also discusses President Trump having tanks roll into Washington D.C. for the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army (but also for his own birthday, which is the same day as the parade).
Finally, the two discuss the Trump administration siccing 2,000 National Guard troops on protesters who were demonstrating against the administration's deportation tactics.
Then, Brad is joined by Tara Devlin, the host of the podcast, 'TARABUSTER.'
The two discuss the meltdown between President Trump and Elon Musk, as well as how the mainstream media now seems to cover Billionaires like the third branch of Government.
They also discuss the Trump administration siccing 2,000 National Guard troops on protesters who were demonstrating against the administration's deportation tactics.
Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton. bsky.social.
Tara Devlin is a New York City based comedian, writer, and host of the unapologetically-liberal podcast "TARABUSTER.”
Tarabuster is 5-star viewer-reviewed and 100% viewer-supported.
Help keep the REAL liberal media going – and growing – by becoming a Patron of Tarabuster at Patreon.com/TaraDevlin.
You can follow Tara on BlueSky at @tarabuster.bsky.social and on Instagram at @Taradackty.
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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Monday Jun 02, 2025
Lobbying Industry Thriving Under Trump; Donald, Elon and RFK Jr. (Oh my!)
Monday Jun 02, 2025
Monday Jun 02, 2025
Brad is first joined by Kate Ackley, a Senior Reporter for Bloomberg Government.
Kate shares a a general status update of the lobby industry under President Trump. Then, she and Brad talk about the lobby efforts on the House reconciliation budget bill, and the higher education executive orders.
Then, Brad is joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of Politicus USA.
The two discuss President Trump's broken promises on inflation and Ukraine, he and the House Republicans' big bad budget bill, Musk getting out of DOGE, and RFK Jr. on vaccines (or lack thereof).
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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

Friday May 30, 2025
AFL-CIO President on SCOTUS NRLB Ruling, House Budget Bill and DOGE
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
The pair discusses the Supreme Court ruling upholding Trump's firings of the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board members, the draconian House budget bill, and the field hearings the Union conducted through the 'Department of People Who Work for a Living,' which they released a report on last week.
The website for the AFL-CIO is www.AFLCIO.org and their BlueSky handle is @aflcio.org. Liz's handle is @lizshuler.bsky.social.

Friday May 30, 2025
GOP's Disastrous Approach to Food Stamps (SNAP) in House Budget Bill
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
The two first react to Senator Joni Ernst, after an audience member yells, “People will die,” during her discussion on Medicaid cuts at a town hall this morning, replying, “Well, we all are going to die.”
Leslie and Lily then discuss the disastrous approach to food stamps (SNAP) in the House Republican passed 'Big Beautiful Bill.'
The House-passed version:
A. Would cut off some or all food assistance for 11 million people (4 million of those are kids) due to subjecting new groups of people (parents of young kids, older people, people who live in parts of the country where jobs are scarce) to additional paperwork requirements.
B. Eliminates the national guarantee that whether you live in New York or Mississippi, you won’t go hungry. This has been the bottom line of food support and anti-poverty in the US for 60 years. Now, states will be required to foot part of the bill for SNAP, which many of them can’t afford.
C. Guts SNAP as one of our best anti-recession tools – it keeps recessions from becoming depressions. SNAP immediately gets small dollars to the people who need money most, and it’s spent nearly instantly in local communities. Funding changes and cuts will doubly punish states during recessions. That’s important now, as we deal with economic uncertainty and a food safety net (food pantries, free school lunch, farmer grant programs) that have already been gutted by DOGE so can’t step in to help.
The website for the Center for American Progress is www.AmericanProgress.org and their handle on BlueSky is @americanprogress.bsky.social. Lily's BlueSky handle is @lilyroberts.bsky.social.

