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The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio
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Monday Sep 08, 2025
Monday Sep 08, 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.) provides his expert analysis on Venezuela and the Trump administration's ill-considered attack on the purported drug boat and what that might mean for how the current regime uses our military. The two also posit the political and diplomatic implications of Trump's “name change” from the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
Col. Leighton also breaks down the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un joining Xi Jinping in a show of strength as China unveiled new weapons at a huge military parade.
Finally, the Colonel gives the latest updates on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Then, Brad is joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA.
The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data. They also detail the specific damage the President's tariffs have done on the U.S. economy, as well as a new report from Goldman Sachs estimating that 86% of the tariff revenue collected so far has been paid by American businesses and consumers.
Additionally, the pair talks about the latest news surrounding the Epstein files.
Finally, they discuss the chilling implications as Trump continues working to turn the military into his own police force, which he seeks to unleash in predominantly Democratic-led American cities.
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.
Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.
Brad is first joined by CNN Military Analyst Cedric Leighton.
Col. Leighton (USAF-Ret.) provides his expert analysis on Venezuela and the Trump administration's ill-considered attack on the purported drug boat and what that might mean for how the current regime uses our military. The two also posit the political and diplomatic implications of Trump's “name change” from the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
Col. Leighton also breaks down the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un joining Xi Jinping in a show of strength as China unveiled new weapons at a huge military parade.
Finally, the Colonel gives the latest updates on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Then, Brad is joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA.
The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data. They also detail the specific damage the President's tariffs have done on the U.S. economy, as well as a new report from Goldman Sachs estimating that 86% of the tariff revenue collected so far has been paid by American businesses and consumers.
Additionally, the pair talks about the latest news surrounding the Epstein files.
Finally, they discuss the chilling implications as Trump continues working to turn the military into his own police force, which he seeks to unleash in predominantly Democratic-led American cities.
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.
Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.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 BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Leslie welcomes back Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the 63 unions and 15 million members of the AFL-CIO. In 2022, he was unanimously elected to the position as the highest ranking African American officer in the history of America’s labor movement.
Secretary Redmond shares how he and the AFL-CIO just wrapped up their nationwide “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness and Security” bus tour. While big corporations profit off the backs of working people and politicians continue to raise costs and cut essential lifesaving services, the labor movement traveled the country providing voice to and building power with workers in the lead up to Labor Day.
Mr. Redmond also blasts the new Trump administration's Union-busting executive order, which was issued right before Labor Day.
The new order rips away collective bargaining rights from workers at NASA, the International Trade Association, the NWS, and more.
The website for the AFL-CIO is AFLCIO.org and their handle on Blue Sky is @AFLCIO.org. Their handle on Facebook, Instagram and X is @AFLCIO. Fred's handle on X is @STRedmond.
Secretary Redmond shares how he and the AFL-CIO just wrapped up their nationwide “It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness and Security” bus tour. While big corporations profit off the backs of working people and politicians continue to raise costs and cut essential lifesaving services, the labor movement traveled the country providing voice to and building power with workers in the lead up to Labor Day.
Mr. Redmond also blasts the new Trump administration's Union-busting executive order, which was issued right before Labor Day.
The new order rips away collective bargaining rights from workers at NASA, the International Trade Association, the NWS, and more.
The website for the AFL-CIO is AFLCIO.org and their handle on Blue Sky is @AFLCIO.org. Their handle on Facebook, Instagram and X is @AFLCIO. Fred's handle on X is @STRedmond.
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Leslie is joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm, and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.
The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data.
On Friday morning, the BLS reported that nonfarm payroll employment rose by only 22,000 in August. Analysts had forecast that the economy would add 75,000 jobs during the month. According to the agency, gains made in health care were offset by losses in federal government employment, as well as mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction.
While July's figures were revised up to 79,000 from 73,000, June's numbers were revised down by 27,000, dropping from 14,000 to minus-13,000. That means this past June marked the first time the labor market shed jobs since late 2020. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate edged up to 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent in August.
Leslie and Dr. Shapiro also discuss his latest blog, "The Lies Behind Trump's D.C. Troop Sure."
(Link: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/18/the-lies-behind-trumps-d-c-troop-surge/)
In it, Dr. Shapiro breaks down how President Trump’s justification for deploying troops in Washington, D.C. on the basis of crime is false, as FBI data show crime rates in the capital have sharply declined and are lower than in many comparable U.S. cities.
Instead, Dr. Shapiro details how Trump’s actions reflect a partisan strategy and authoritarian impulse to consolidate power and intimidate opposition, rather than any genuine concern for public safety.
Dr. Shapiro's website is Sonecon.com and his handle on X is @RobShapiro.
The two examine the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) again handing President Trump a bleak set of jobs numbers, just one month after he fired the agency's commissioner over weak employment data.
On Friday morning, the BLS reported that nonfarm payroll employment rose by only 22,000 in August. Analysts had forecast that the economy would add 75,000 jobs during the month. According to the agency, gains made in health care were offset by losses in federal government employment, as well as mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction.
While July's figures were revised up to 79,000 from 73,000, June's numbers were revised down by 27,000, dropping from 14,000 to minus-13,000. That means this past June marked the first time the labor market shed jobs since late 2020. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate edged up to 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent in August.
Leslie and Dr. Shapiro also discuss his latest blog, "The Lies Behind Trump's D.C. Troop Sure."
(Link: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/18/the-lies-behind-trumps-d-c-troop-surge/)
In it, Dr. Shapiro breaks down how President Trump’s justification for deploying troops in Washington, D.C. on the basis of crime is false, as FBI data show crime rates in the capital have sharply declined and are lower than in many comparable U.S. cities.
Instead, Dr. Shapiro details how Trump’s actions reflect a partisan strategy and authoritarian impulse to consolidate power and intimidate opposition, rather than any genuine concern for public safety.
Dr. Shapiro's website is Sonecon.com and his handle on X is @RobShapiro.
Monday Aug 18, 2025
Monday Aug 18, 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 Robert Benson, D.Phil., Associate Director for National Security and International Policy at American Progress.
The two breakdown Trump's summit with Putin, where he failed to secure a peace deal to end Russia's war with Ukraine.
Then, Brad is joined by Tara Devlin, host of the podcast, 'TARABUSTER.'
The pair exposes Trump and the GOP's hypocrisy as they deploy the National Guard to Washington D.C. with the excuse of stopping violent crime, yet they are the same people who pardoned those who violently assaulted Capitol Police Officers right in Washington D.C. on January 6th.
They also discuss California Governor Gavin Newsom's efforts to nullify Trump led efforts to gerrymander Texas congressional districts, with the goal of gaining GOP house seats, by doing the same in California, in order to gain Democratic House seats to balance things out.
The website for American Progress is http://www.AmericanProgress.org and their handle on BlueSky is @americanprogress.bsky.social. Robert's handle is @robertbenson92.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.
Brad is first joined by Robert Benson, D.Phil., Associate Director for National Security and International Policy at American Progress.
The two breakdown Trump's summit with Putin, where he failed to secure a peace deal to end Russia's war with Ukraine.
Then, Brad is joined by Tara Devlin, host of the podcast, 'TARABUSTER.'
The pair exposes Trump and the GOP's hypocrisy as they deploy the National Guard to Washington D.C. with the excuse of stopping violent crime, yet they are the same people who pardoned those who violently assaulted Capitol Police Officers right in Washington D.C. on January 6th.
They also discuss California Governor Gavin Newsom's efforts to nullify Trump led efforts to gerrymander Texas congressional districts, with the goal of gaining GOP house seats, by doing the same in California, in order to gain Democratic House seats to balance things out.
The website for American Progress is http://www.AmericanProgress.org and their handle on BlueSky is @americanprogress.bsky.social. Robert's handle is @robertbenson92.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.
Friday Aug 15, 2025
Friday Aug 15, 2025
Leslie welcomes back Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, for an in-depth look at four timely topics shaping the global economy and American industry.
They break down China’s worsening economic crisis and what it means for global markets, and unpack the latest developments in U.S. tariff negotiations with key trading partners.
The pair also highlights practical Made-in-America products perfect for outfitting a dorm room or first apartment, and finally, explores how programs like Manufacturing USA and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership are fueling innovation, strengthening supply chains, and creating good-paying jobs here at home.
AAM's website is AmericanManufacturing.org and their YouTube channel is 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.
Their handles on X and BlueSky are @KeepItMadeInUSA, and @keepitmadeinusa.bsky.social, respectively.
Scott's handle on X is @ScottPaulAAM.
They break down China’s worsening economic crisis and what it means for global markets, and unpack the latest developments in U.S. tariff negotiations with key trading partners.
The pair also highlights practical Made-in-America products perfect for outfitting a dorm room or first apartment, and finally, explores how programs like Manufacturing USA and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership are fueling innovation, strengthening supply chains, and creating good-paying jobs here at home.
AAM's website is AmericanManufacturing.org and their YouTube channel is 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.
Their handles on X and BlueSky are @KeepItMadeInUSA, and @keepitmadeinusa.bsky.social, respectively.
Scott's handle on X is @ScottPaulAAM.
Monday Aug 11, 2025
Monday Aug 11, 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 Tim Karr, Senior of Director of Strategy and Communications at 'Free Press,' a nonpartisan organization fighting for your rights to connect and communicate.
The pair examines the increasingly disturbing trend of the mainstream media's capitulation to Trump and his administration. This includes a discussion on Free Press's newly created 'Media Capitulation Index,' and a report that Tim authored on the way forward. It's titled, "A More Perfect Media: Saving America’s Fourth Estate from Billionaires, Broligarchy and Trump."
Then, Brad is joined by Hadar Susskind, President and CEO of 'The New Jewish Narrative." The organization's mission statement identifies their members as "American Jews, deeply rooted in the story of our people and the history of our struggle for peace and justice. In our narrative, peace and justice are the birthright of Israelis, of Palestinians, and of all people."
The two discuss the increasingly dire situation in Gaza, where the United Nation's Humanitarian Affairs Office says that food consumption has "declined to its lowest level since the onset of the war." They report that "nearly 90% of households have resorted to extremely severe coping mechanisms to feed themselves, including taking significant risks to obtain food and scavenging from garbage."
Gaza health authorities also report that over 200 people have died of starvation since the war began 22 months ago, and that nearly half of them were children.
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.
Brad is first joined by Tim Karr, Senior of Director of Strategy and Communications at 'Free Press,' a nonpartisan organization fighting for your rights to connect and communicate.
The pair examines the increasingly disturbing trend of the mainstream media's capitulation to Trump and his administration. This includes a discussion on Free Press's newly created 'Media Capitulation Index,' and a report that Tim authored on the way forward. It's titled, "A More Perfect Media: Saving America’s Fourth Estate from Billionaires, Broligarchy and Trump."
Then, Brad is joined by Hadar Susskind, President and CEO of 'The New Jewish Narrative." The organization's mission statement identifies their members as "American Jews, deeply rooted in the story of our people and the history of our struggle for peace and justice. In our narrative, peace and justice are the birthright of Israelis, of Palestinians, and of all people."
The two discuss the increasingly dire situation in Gaza, where the United Nation's Humanitarian Affairs Office says that food consumption has "declined to its lowest level since the onset of the war." They report that "nearly 90% of households have resorted to extremely severe coping mechanisms to feed themselves, including taking significant risks to obtain food and scavenging from garbage."
Gaza health authorities also report that over 200 people have died of starvation since the war began 22 months ago, and that nearly half of them were children.
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 Jul 28, 2025
Monday Jul 28, 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 joined by the White House Correspondent for CQ Roll Call, John Bennett.
The pair discusses President Trump's struggles to distance himself from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal that has overtaken the political world, and the put the GOP on defense.
They also discuss the humanitarian crisis happening in Gaza, as well as the Trump's attacks on the indepence of the Federal Reserve and its Chairman, Jerome Powell (who Trump appointed during his first administration).
Then, Brad is joined by Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, an Immigration Attorney and Advocate.
The two discuss the Trump administration's family separation policies and the militarization of ICE.
Kate also tells the powerful story that led her to want to help vulnerable immigrants and their families.
The website for CQ Roll Call is www.RollCall.com and John's handle on X is @BennettJohnT.
Kate is also the Owner and CEO of Lincoln-Goldfinch Law and their website is www.LincolnGoldfinch.com. Kate's handle is @AttorneyKLG on X, @attorneykatelg on Instagram, and @abogadakate on TikTok.
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.
Brad is joined by the White House Correspondent for CQ Roll Call, John Bennett.
The pair discusses President Trump's struggles to distance himself from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal that has overtaken the political world, and the put the GOP on defense.
They also discuss the humanitarian crisis happening in Gaza, as well as the Trump's attacks on the indepence of the Federal Reserve and its Chairman, Jerome Powell (who Trump appointed during his first administration).
Then, Brad is joined by Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, an Immigration Attorney and Advocate.
The two discuss the Trump administration's family separation policies and the militarization of ICE.
Kate also tells the powerful story that led her to want to help vulnerable immigrants and their families.
The website for CQ Roll Call is www.RollCall.com and John's handle on X is @BennettJohnT.
Kate is also the Owner and CEO of Lincoln-Goldfinch Law and their website is www.LincolnGoldfinch.com. Kate's handle is @AttorneyKLG on X, @attorneykatelg on Instagram, and @abogadakate on TikTok.
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.
Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
Leslie is joined by Jim Savage, Legislative Representative for the United Steelworkers (USW).
The two discuss how the U.S. Dept. of Veterans' Affairs has been understaffed and underfunded for decades, often proving to be a barrier to those who served getting the care they need.
However, rather than bolstering this vital lifeline, early on in the Trump administration, amid brutal cuts to a number of federal agencies, it announced that it would eliminate approximately 83,000 positions at the VA.
While this was part of a larger effort to gut the federal government in the name of efficiency, as in other areas, there was nothing targeted or strategic about these cuts.
Jim explains how the USW and their "Veterans of Steel" group is not only fighting these cuts, but working across the political aisle to promote common sense legislation to further help U.S. military veterans.
Follow the USW on Facebook, Instagram and X, using the handle @steelworkers, and visit their website at USW.org. Also, check them out on Blue Sky where their handle is @steelworkers.bsky.social. Jim's handle on Blue Sky is @savageusw.bsky.social.
The two discuss how the U.S. Dept. of Veterans' Affairs has been understaffed and underfunded for decades, often proving to be a barrier to those who served getting the care they need.
However, rather than bolstering this vital lifeline, early on in the Trump administration, amid brutal cuts to a number of federal agencies, it announced that it would eliminate approximately 83,000 positions at the VA.
While this was part of a larger effort to gut the federal government in the name of efficiency, as in other areas, there was nothing targeted or strategic about these cuts.
Jim explains how the USW and their "Veterans of Steel" group is not only fighting these cuts, but working across the political aisle to promote common sense legislation to further help U.S. military veterans.
Follow the USW on Facebook, Instagram and X, using the handle @steelworkers, and visit their website at USW.org. Also, check them out on Blue Sky where their handle is @steelworkers.bsky.social. Jim's handle on Blue Sky is @savageusw.bsky.social.
Tuesday Jul 22, 2025
Tuesday Jul 22, 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 Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA.
The two discuss the Wall Street Journal Report that, in 2003, Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein, his then close friend, a graphic birthday card with a self-drawn picture of a naked woman, with the message, "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Then, Brad is joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.
The pair examines the new economic data showing that both inflation, and the consumer price index (CPI) rose in June.
This shows that the Trump tariffs are raising both inflation, and prices for goods that the American people purchase regularly.
Brad also talks with Dr. Shapiro about his new piece for Washington Monthly, titled, "Trump's Budget Could Break the Economy."
(Link: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/07/20/trumps-deficits-could-break-the-economy/)
Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com.
Dr. Shapiro's website is www.sonecon.com, where you can find his latest blog posts as well.
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.
Brad is first joined by Sarah Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA.
The two discuss the Wall Street Journal Report that, in 2003, Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein, his then close friend, a graphic birthday card with a self-drawn picture of a naked woman, with the message, "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Then, Brad is joined by Dr. Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm and a Senior Fellow of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.
The pair examines the new economic data showing that both inflation, and the consumer price index (CPI) rose in June.
This shows that the Trump tariffs are raising both inflation, and prices for goods that the American people purchase regularly.
Brad also talks with Dr. Shapiro about his new piece for Washington Monthly, titled, "Trump's Budget Could Break the Economy."
(Link: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/07/20/trumps-deficits-could-break-the-economy/)
Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com.
Dr. Shapiro's website is www.sonecon.com, where you can find his latest blog posts as well.
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 Jul 11, 2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
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 pair first discusses a new piece that Scott wrote for 'Industry Week' that finally puts to rest one of U.S. manufacturing naysayers’ favorite lines: “Who wants to work in a factory anyway?”
Next, they explore what progress has the Trump administration made on all of their attempted trade deals after the White House extended its reciprocal tariff pause to August 1st, with the hope of securing more deals.
Third, Scott and Leslie explain why Americans should be pleased about a new 10-year end to 'the de minimis exemption,' a Customs loophole that Chinese e-commerce behemoths like Temu and DHGate had been exploiting.
Fourth, Leslie asks Scott about an FTC letter sent on the same day Amazon launched its Prime Day sale this week, which called on the e-commerce giant (and Walmart) to put a stop to false “Made in USA” claims on its website. This comes after Amazon’s marketplace has increasingly become a Wild West of products from third-party vendors as it seeks to emulate SHEIN and Temu.
Finally, both Leslie and Scott applauded Senator Elissa Slotkin for a recent speech she gave outlining her “Economic War Plan." They also found this particular line from the speech very timely: "As a CIA officer and Pentagon official by training, I believe that the single, greatest security threat to the United States is *not* coming from abroad. It’s the shrinking middle class here at home."
Here is where you can find more of Scott and the AAM's work:
WEBSITE: AmericanManufacturing.org
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@AmericanMfg (where you can watch episode's of AAM's podcast, "The Manufacturing Report")
X: 1. AAM - @KeepItMadeInUSA 2. Scott Paul - @ScottPaulAAM
BlueSky: @keepitmadeinusa.bsky.social
The pair first discusses a new piece that Scott wrote for 'Industry Week' that finally puts to rest one of U.S. manufacturing naysayers’ favorite lines: “Who wants to work in a factory anyway?”
Next, they explore what progress has the Trump administration made on all of their attempted trade deals after the White House extended its reciprocal tariff pause to August 1st, with the hope of securing more deals.
Third, Scott and Leslie explain why Americans should be pleased about a new 10-year end to 'the de minimis exemption,' a Customs loophole that Chinese e-commerce behemoths like Temu and DHGate had been exploiting.
Fourth, Leslie asks Scott about an FTC letter sent on the same day Amazon launched its Prime Day sale this week, which called on the e-commerce giant (and Walmart) to put a stop to false “Made in USA” claims on its website. This comes after Amazon’s marketplace has increasingly become a Wild West of products from third-party vendors as it seeks to emulate SHEIN and Temu.
Finally, both Leslie and Scott applauded Senator Elissa Slotkin for a recent speech she gave outlining her “Economic War Plan." They also found this particular line from the speech very timely: "As a CIA officer and Pentagon official by training, I believe that the single, greatest security threat to the United States is *not* coming from abroad. It’s the shrinking middle class here at home."
Here is where you can find more of Scott and the AAM's work:
WEBSITE: AmericanManufacturing.org
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@AmericanMfg (where you can watch episode's of AAM's podcast, "The Manufacturing Report")
X: 1. AAM - @KeepItMadeInUSA 2. Scott Paul - @ScottPaulAAM
BlueSky: @keepitmadeinusa.bsky.social