The Leslie Marshall Show

Real World Effects of U.S.-China Trade Battle; U.S. Steel Resurgence?

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.

The two discuss the latest on the tit for tat tariffs that the U.S. and China are placing on each others' goods entering their respective countries. Also, more importantly, they discuss the real world effects of these policies on the American people.

They also touch on a great new piece by the AAM titled, "America’s Steel Communities Make a Comeback: Unfair trade left them devastated, but trade action has given these towns renewed hope."

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

New Groundbreaking Report: 'Hijacked by Hate: American Philanthropy and the Islamophobia Network '

Leslie is joined by Dr. Abbas Barzegar, Director of the Department of Research and Advocacy for CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations).

CAIR's vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding. CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

Leslie and Dr. Barzegar discuss a new groundbreaking report from CAIR titled, "Hijacked by Hate: American Philanthropy and the Islamophobia Network."

Here is a preview of the report from CAIR:

"Anti-Muslim bigotry is a common and widespread feature of our country’s mainstream cultural and political landscape. However, it is important to remember that Islamophobic attitudes and policies are propagated by special interest groups with deep sources of funding. This decentralized group of actors is known as the Islamophobia Network, a closeknit family of organizations and individuals that share an ideology of extreme anti-Muslim animus, and work with one another to negatively influence public opinion and government policy about Muslims and Islam.

To provide a better understanding of how the Islamophobia Network operates, CAIR's Islamophobia report Hijacked by Hate maps the flow of funding from charitable organizations to anti-Muslim special interest groups, and their destructive impact on public life.

Hijacked by Hate finds that the Islamophobia Network has been drawing upon mainstream American philanthropic institutions for financial and political support for years. CAIR researchers have found 1,096 organizations responsible for funding 39 groups in the Islamophobia Network between 2014 and 2016. The report also reveals the total revenue capacity of the Islamophobia Network during this period to reach at least $1.5 billion. This money has been channeled into politics, media, law enforcement, educational institutions, lobbying groups, and a whole assortment of industries to advance anti-Muslim and anti-Islam animus in America."

You can find more info. on this topic, including the full report, by visiting this link.

CAIR's website is CAIR.com and their Twitter handle is @CAIRNational. Islamophobia.org is a website by created by CAIR to monitor and combat Islamophobia.

Rebuilding America's Infrastructure; Child Care Costs Half a Millennial's Salary

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

They discuss a pair of different topics during the show, with 'Infrastructure Week' leading things off.  After that, they discuss the struggle that Americans are facing to pay for child care, with Millennial parents having an especially tough time.

The guest in the first segment is Zach Schafer, CEO and Executive Director of 'Infrastructure Week.'  Infrastructure Week, a non-profit organization, convenes a national week of education and advocacy that brings together American businesses, workers, elected leaders, and everyday citizens around one message in 2019: Let’s #BuildForTomorrow. Starting Now.  Each year during IWeek, leaders and citizens around America highlight the state of our nation’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, water and sewer systems, the energy grid, telecoms, and more – and the projects, technologies, and policies necessary to make America competitive, prosperous, and safe. 

 

This year Infrastructure Week is May 13th-20th and they are using the the hashtag #BuildForTomorrow on social media.  Their website is InfrastructureWeek.org and their Twitter handle is @InfraWeek.

 

The second segment's guest is Leila Schochet, a Policy Analyst for Early Childhood Policy at American Progress.  With Mother's Day this Sunday, Leila discusses the steep price that Moms are paying for child care.  As parents, Millennials are facing some unique challenges when it comes to being able to afford what their children need.  Some Millennials are already saddled with student loan debt and high healthcare costs, when they are then faced with the prospect of paying half of their salary toward child care costs.  Leila explains how this problem is only growing, with 9,000 Millennial women giving birth every day.

 

Leila's Twitter handle is @NotGonnaLeila.

Charlotte Hancock's Twitter handle is @CharlatAnne and Brent Cohen's handle is @BrentJCohen.

The website for "The Center for American Progress" is AmericanProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @amprog.

New Report: One Million Species Threatened with Extinction

Leslie is joined by Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), a bipartisan organization committed to the advancement of wildlife conservation.

 

The two discuss a new report released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).  Here is a summary of the report, courtesy of Axios.com:

 

Earth hurtles toward extinction crisis — 1 million species at risk

The diversity of life on our planet is deteriorating far more rapidly than previously thought, with up to 1 million species threatened with extinction, many of which could be lost "within decades," concludes a sweeping new scientific assessment released Monday in Paris.

Why it matters: The report, from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), finds that factors such as land use change, overfishing, pollution, climate change and population growth are pushing nature to the brink. Only "transformational change" to the way society operates can put us back on course to meet global sustainable development targets, which nearly every country on Earth has committed to, the report concludes.

The big picture: The IPBES findings, a summary of which was released Monday, amount to a first-ever global report on the state of nature, and it is aimed at getting policy-makers, activists and others to place biodiversity loss higher on the list of global priorities.

• Biodiversity, which is the diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems, is declining at the fastest rate in human history, the report finds.
• Though many of the report's findings are grim, they come with some silver lining: There is still time to avoid the future it projects. For example,nearly 100 groups worldwide are working to designate 30% of the Earth's surface for protection by 2030, and 50% by 2050, in an effort to avert the extinction of many marine species.
• Biodiversity loss isn't just a matter of losing iconic species, the report finds, but it directly threatens human well-being by reducing the number of crops and livestock available to produce food.
• In addition, the loss of marine and tropical species will also limit the availability and development of new drug treatments for human diseases, among other ramifications.

By the numbers:

• 8 million: Total estimated number of plant and animal species on Earth (includes insects).
• Up to 1 million: Total number of species threatened with extinction.
• Tens to hundreds of times: "The extent to which the current global rate of species extinction is higher compared to average over the last 10 million years." This rate is accelerating, the report finds.
• 40%: Amphibian species threatened with extinction.
• 25%: "Average proportion of species threatened with extinction across terrestrial, freshwater and marine vertebrate, invertebrate and plant groups that have been studied in sufficient detail."
• 145: Number of report authors from 50 countries during the past 3 years.
• 310: Contributing authors to the report.
• 15,000: Scientific, government and indigenous sources that went into this report.
• 130: Member governments of the IPBES, including the Unites States.

What they're saying:

• "We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide," said Robert Watson, chair of the IPBES assessment, in a statement. "The report also tells us that it is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global."
• "The essential, interconnected web of life on Earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed," said study co-chair and biologist Josef Settele, in a statement.
• “The basic message is the same as what the scientific community has been saying for more than 30 years. Biodiversity is important in its own right, biodiversity is important for human well-being, and we humans are destroying it," Watson said at a press conference on Monday.

Details: The report recommends a series of large-scale changes in how we manage our lands and seas, and it states that transformative change alone can put the world on a more sustainable course by 2050.

According to Watson, who has worked as a top science advisor to the U.S. and U.K. governments and chaired the UN's climate panel, the report defines transformative change as: "A fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values."

Be smart: This report is likely to be dismissed by some as just another in a long line of dire environmental predictions. But its call for systemic change, rather than incremental advances, is likely to provide a boost for activist movements now gaining strength around the world, particularly around climate change.

One such group, which is mainly active in Europe, is appropriately named for this task: Extinction Rebellion.

 

The website for the National Wildlife Federation is NWF.org and their Twitter handle is @NWF.  Collin O'Mara's handle is @Collin_OMara.

Trump's Vulnerability, 2020 Challengers, Bernie Voters, Iowa & New Hampshire

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 Adrian Walker, Metro Columnist with 'The Boston Globe.' The two discuss how vulnerable President Trump is heading into the 2020 election, the Democratic Primary Election, and whether it's fair that Iowa and New Hampshire play such a large role in selecting presidential candidates.  Adrian's Twitter handle is @Adrian_Walker.

During the second half of the show, Brad leads a political round-table with two guests discussing what the Democratic party needs to do in order to defeat Trump in 2020, and whether we should expect Bernie Sanders' supporters to vote for the Democratic candidate for President if it's not Bernie.

The two round-table guests are Bob Wolper and Mark Grimaldi. Bob is a Democratic Strategist, and Vice President of 'Strategic Communications Consultants.' His Twitter handle is @BobWolper.

 

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.
His website is BannonCR.com and his Twitter handle is @BradBannon.

Congressman David Cicilline on Work to Get Full Mueller Report from AG Barr

Leslie is joined by Congressman David Cicilline, Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, and a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

The two discuss House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler's final counteroffer today to Attorney General William Barr to obtain the full version of the special counsel's report, along with an ultimatum: If the Justice Department doesn’t comply, the panel will initiate contempt proceedings.

Congressman Cicilline's Twitter handle is @DavidCicilline and his website is Cicilline.House.Gov.

Rep. Cicilline is also a leader in Congress on issues of core American values, serving as Chairman of the House Antitrust Subcommittee, Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and Vice Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Just this week ,his Equality Act bill (H.R.5) passed the House Judiciary Committee. 'The Equality Act' extends existing civil rights protections to LGBTQ Americans in the areas of employment, education, housing, credit, jury service, public accommodations, and federal funding. The bill is co-sponsored by 240 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including three Republicans.

Breakthrough on Infrastructure Plan?; Trump's 'Buy American' Pledge a Sham

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.

The two discuss Speaker Pelosi, Senator Schumer, and President Trump agreeing to spend $2 trillion on infrastructure over 25 years in a White House meeting, their meeting in three weeks on how to pay for it, and whether Trump can be trusted to keep his word.

Leslie also talks with Scott about how Trump’s “Buy American” policy is a sham.

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

Trump vs. The Free Press, Democratic Primary Race, Impeachment

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 Shawn Zeller, Deputy Editor of CQ Magazine, and host of the 'CQ on Congress' podcast. The two discuss President Trump's attacks on the press, and whether that has affected how he's covered in the news. Brad and Shawn also analyze new polling out on the Mueller report, impeachment, and the 2020 Presidential race. Shawn's Twitter handle is @ShawnZeller.

During the second half of the show, Brad leads a political round-table with two guests discussing the 2020 Democratic Primary race and the prospect of the House beginning impeachment hearings.

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.
His website is BannonCR.com and his Twitter handle is @BradBannon.

Worker's Memorial Day; Trump Rolling Back Obama-Era Worker Protections

Leslie is joined this hour by Ashlee Fitch. Ashlee has worked with the United Steelworkers Health, Safety and Environment Department since 2014, where she currently works as a Technician. She also oversees the USW’s Tony Mazzocchi Center for Health, Safety and Environmental Education, the organization’s health and safety training department.

The two discuss 'Worker's Memorial Day,' as well as President Trump rolling back many critical Obama-era worker protections, and the risk that places on America's workforce.

There is also a new USW blog out today about Worker's Memorial Day, which you can read here.

The website for the USW is www.USW.org and their Twitter handle is @steelworkers. Leo Gerard's handle is @USWblogger.

Florida and New York Heading In Different Directions Regarding Undocumented Immigrants

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

They are joined by a pair of guests as they discuss two states, Florida and New York, that are going in different directions regarding undocumented immigrants that live there.

Their first guest is Thomas Kennedy, Political Director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition.  He discusses the Florida House passing a bill banning so called 'sanctuary cities,' and the chilling effect it could have on the state.  For some background, according to a new NAE study, 85.8 percent of undocumented immigrants in Florida are of working age (ages 16-64), and pay $1.7 billion each year in taxes. SB 168 could result in a 10 percent immigrant exodus from Florida to deliver an annual loss of $121.4M in taxes and $3.5B in GDP."

Thomas's Twitter handle is @tomaskenn and the handle for the Florida Immigrant Coalition is @FLImmigrant

 

The second guest is Monica Sibiri, Co-founder of CUNY Dreamers.  After helping pass the New York 'Dream Act,' she's now working on passing legislation that would allow undocumented people to get driver's licenses.  That's the topic that Charlotte and Brent discuss with her during today's show.

 

Monica's Twitter handle is @MonicaSibri.

Charlotte Hancock's Twitter handle is @CharlatAnne and Brent Cohen's handle is @BrentJCohen.

The website for "The Center for American Progress" is www.AmericanProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @amprog.