velvelonmedia's Podcast

In this installment of Books of Our Time, host Lawrence R. Velvel discusses with author Elizabeth Warren her new book "The Two Income Trap."  The book is a revealing look at how overall wages have decreased for family earners despite women entering the workforce.  Warren is a professor of law at Harvard University.

Dean Lawrence R. Velvel sits down with author Dan Oren to discuss his  book "Joining the Club."  The book details the extensive religiously based discrimination that took place at Yale University and other Ivy League institutions throughout the 21st century.

Produced by the Massachusetts School of Law.

William Chafe from Duke University sits down with Dean Lawrence R. Velvel from the Massachsuetts School of Law to discuss Chafe's new book "PRIVATE LIVES AND PUBLIC CONSQUENCES: PERSONALITY AND POLITICS IN MODERN AMERICA."  This is the second part of their two hour discussion on BOOKS OF OUR TIME. They discuss the personal lives of FDR, MLK, JFK and many more prominent public figures of the 20th century.

Listen in during this installment of Books of Our Time as Dean Lawrence R. Velvel interviews Charlie Savage.  Savage is a national reporter for the Boston Globe and recently won a Pulitzer prize for his articles about signing statements that were used by George W. Bush to negate legislation and extend presidential power.

 

In this interview Savage will be discussing his new work, “Take Over – The Return of the Imperial Presidency in This inversion of American Democracyâ€?.  This interview is the first of two parts.

 

Savage describes in extraordinary detail Vice President Dick Cheney’s actions on 9-11, the expansion of presidential war authority and war powers, and the high levels of executive involvement in illegal wiretaps and torture.

 

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in ... all Â» Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

In this installment of "What the Media Doesn't Tell You" host Larry Velvel discusses The New York Time and their coverage of the wire tapping scandal with Sherwood Ross and David Walsh.

Overthrow, part 2 of 2

In this second of two parts, What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel talks with author Stephen Kinzer about his book, Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq.  They discuss why America has entered upon so many overthrows of governments, why this is largely ignored by the media and common history books and how it has impacted the world of today and the rold of American in that world.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Overthrow, part 1 of 2

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel talks with author Stephen Kinzer about his book, Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq.  They discuss why America has entered upon so many overthrows of governments, why this is largely ignored by the media and common history books and how it has impacted the world of today and the rold of American in that world.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

What Terrorists Want

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel talks with author Louise Richardson about her book, What Terrorists Want.  They cover terrorism from the first records of such over 2000 years ago to the present, with an emphasis on understanding the mental processes that drive these terrorists.  Can an effective antiterrorism policy be crafted without such an understanding?  Richardson believes not, and presents her case.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Covering, the Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, and author Kenji Yoshino discuss the phenomenon of people putting on false faces in public in order to project conformity and "getting along."  The book and author suggest that the intense pressure we experience daily to conform and not stand out in terms of either opinion nor personal characteristics   amounts to an assault on our civil rights, and one that is difficult to both specify and counter for the very reason of forced conformity.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Will Corporations Destroy American Democracy?

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, and author Lee Drutman discuss the history and abuses of corporations in America.  As useful as they can be, have corporations imposed their will on the American Democratic system?  How did it become that corporations are considered legal persons with Constitutional rights.  Is this healthy?

Visit the homepage for What the Media Doesn't Tell You at www.mslawradio.com.

 

Joining the Club

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, and author Dr. Dan Oren, Yale medical professor  discuss religious discrimination at Yale and other Ivy League schools in the 20th century.  In this time of presidential politics when religion is creeping into campaign issues more and more, this interview illuminates some long held prejudices and attitudes in many institutions of higher learning, and perhaps in the governmental and corporate arenas where graduates of these institutions work.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

The Two Income Trap

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, and author and Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren discuss the plight of so many middle income Americans who now depend upon two incomes to provide what one could 40 years ago.  How did two incomes go from being thought of as a boon to the family to being a detriment?  Ias the middle class truly suffering or are they just too ready to spend on unnecessary items?

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Are top Government Officials War Criminals?
Interview with Michael Ratner

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, and Michael Ratner, head of the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, discuss issues surrounding the culpability of attorneys who render opinions that allow government officials to conduct apparently illegal acts.  They discuss several instances when the current administration has been advised by its own lawyers that such things as torture may not be always illegal or war crimes.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Takeover, part 2 of 2

In this second of two parts, What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Lawrence R. Velvel interviews Boston Globe's Pulitzer winning reporter, Charlie Savage, about his new book, Takeover -- The return of the imperial presidency and the subversion of American democracy. 

Savage details the rise of a stronger and more unitary presidency from the time of Harry Truman to the present.  He discusses the Signing Statements for which his work earned him a Pulitzer, and relates that to the ever increasing power of the executive branch of the federal government.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Takeover, part 1 of 2

In this first of two parts, What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Lawrence R. Velvel interviews Boston Globe's Pulitzer winning reporter, Charlie Savage, about his new book, Takeover -- The return of the imperial presidency and the subversion of American democracy. 

Savage details the rise of a stronger and more unitary presidency from the time of Harry Truman to the present.  He discusses the Signing Statements for which his work earned him a Pulitzer, and relates that to the ever increasing power of the executive branch of the federal government.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

 

Less Safe, Less Free, part 2 of 2

In this second of two parts, What the Media Doesn't Tell you host Lawrence Velvel interviews author and professor James Lobel, whose new co-authored book, Less Safe, Less Free, discusses the effects of the "war on terror," by the Bush administration and how such moves throughout our nation's history have damaged civil liberties and freedoms.  Lobel believes that a "preventive paradigm" has been adopted that strikes first and examines possible consequences later.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Less Safe, Less Free, part 1 of 2

In this first of two parts, What the Media Doesn't Tell you host Lawrence Velvel interviews author and professor James Lobel, whose new co-authored book, Less Safe, Less Free, discusses the effects of the "war on terror," by the Bush administration and how such moves throughout our nation's history have damaged civil liberties and freedoms.  Lobel believes that a "preventive paradigm" has been adopted that strikes first and examines possible consequences later.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Higher Education, the lower and middle class problem 2 of 2

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, continues his discussion with Colleen O'Brien of the Pell institute, in Washington.  The discussion focuses on the difficulties lower and middle income students have in college with not just financing the education, but dealing with the seeming culture shock of dealing with many who are far more affluent.  O'Brien believes that colleges, especially top tier ones, need to do a great deal more to hel the less privileged students become comfortable in college so they can perform up to their abilities.
 
 The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Age of Betrayal

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, interviews author Jack Beatty about his book, Age of Betrayal.  Beatty's book centers on what was called the "Gilded Age," the latter decades of the 19th century in America.  It was a time of both unparalleled opportunity and heinous discrimination and maltreatment of many.  The discussion not only centers on this age, but on how it parallels our own time and how similarities in corporate manipulation have led to many of the same social ills that were extant in the late 1800's.
 
 The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Interview with Rob Kall of opednews.com

What the Media Doesn\\\'t Tell You host, Larry Velvel, interviews Rob Kall, founder and owner of opednews.com, a web site that aggregates editorial and news material, including considerable original content.  The website primarily focuses on political issues.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Interview with Rob Kall of opednews.com

What the Media Doesn\\\'t Tell You host, Larry Velvel, interviews Rob Kall, founder and owner of opednews.com, a web site that aggregates editorial and news material, including considerable original content.  The website primarily focuses on political issues.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Problems with Educational Opportunities

What the Media Doesn't Tell You host, Larry Velvel, interviews Colleen O'Brien, head of The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education.  The discussion centers around the lack of media portrayal of difficulties middle and lower economic class individuals have in gaining entrance to, adjusting to and financing higher education.  They discuss why the media seems to focus only on the "elite" educational institutions and those who can manage to attain entrance to them.
 
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Are We Rome?

What the Media Doesn't Tell you host Lawrence R. Velvel of the Massachusetts School of Law interviews Cullen Murphy, editor at large for Vanity Fair magazine, about his new book Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire and the Fate of America. Murphy discusses how the Roman Empire and the United States are similar and how they are different.

Murphy says that both societies demonstrate great arrogance. The Romans believed that they would win any war they engaged in. They believed the will of Rome was all that mattered and they saw the rest of the world as barbaric. The Romans demonstrated their arrogance when they marched into the Teutoburg Forest, expecting to dominate the Germanic tribes but instead had three legions defeated. The United States demonstrated a similar ignorance of the world’s thoughts and beliefs.  Americans assume all nations desire their democratic way of life. Such a belief led to the debacle in Viet Nam and again in Iraq. The Romans saw themselves as the center of the world, believing, as Murphy states, “all roads lead to Rome,â€? and they literally did. They believed Rome was the world’s umbilicus. The United States has developed the same belief as the center of the world with Washington D.C. as the new global navel.

Murphy believes Rome and the United States have failed to learn from past mistakes. The Romans believed they were an empire without end and did not look to the past for understanding. The United States has similarly failed to learn from its own history, becoming mired in a debacle in Viet Nam and blindly sacrifices troops and national treasure in Iraq.  The militaries of both societies grew larger and larger. No matter how big they became, they were too small to accomplish their goals, yet too large to maintain for long periods. The Roman army grew as they conquered new land and integrated the people of those lands into military service. Similarly, the United States currently has over 700 military bases throughout the world. And, as did the Romans, the United States has supplemented its military with private contracts. This trend has been replicated in other areas of government; public functions have been sold to private entities. 

In Rome, the emperor hollowed the government. He took enough power away from the legislature to make their meetings and debates meaningless. In the United States, the executive has done the same, eroding the abilities of the legislature. The checks and balances of American government have lost their effect—the executive goes unchecked.

Murphy states one major difference between the two societies: in the United States, everyone feels as if part of the middle class. This feeling exists even if they are well above or below the middle class. In contrast, there were a handful of Roman families with almost all the wealth. The rest of the population was plebs or slaves.  qw

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

More on the Libby Commutation

In this installment of What The Media Doesn't Tell You Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of MSL discusses Scooter Libby's trial conviction, and commutation with Professors Constance Rudnick and Andrew Starkis, both of the Massachusetts School of Law. During opening statements, Libby's attorney stated that Vice President Cheney would testify, yet he never did. What did Libby know about Valerie Plame that caused him to lie to the grand jury? Did Libby lie to the grand jury to keep the heat off Cheney? In addition, why did Libby receive a commutation?

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

The Libby Commutation--Who Knew What

In this edition of What the Media doesn't Tell You, Larry Velvel and guest David Corn, Washington editor of The Nation magazine, discuss the Libby trial and who knew what and when.  They focus on the media's role and whether or not there appears to have been a presumption of some kind of presidential commutation or pardon on the part of the defense before or during the trial proceedings.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

In this edition of What the Media doesn't Tell You, Larry Velvel hosts two shorter programs that were extensions of two of his best shows.  First, we hear more discussion with David Walsh and Sherwood Ross on the subject of the New York Times and their hesitation to publish regarding the domestic spying by the NSA just prior to the 2004 presidential election.

Second, Larry continues the discussion with David Michael Green and Alan Erhenhaldt about why we seem to have difficulty getting quality people in elected office, especially national office.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Attorney Glenn Greenwald, a former constitutional lawyer who is now a
blogger on politics and the media for Salon.com, was interviewed by Dean
Lawrence R. Velvel on how George Bush became the Republican candidate in
2000.  Greenwald has just written a book, to be published on Tuesday, June
26th, on the disaster of George Bush’s presidency.  The interview with
Velvel was for the radio show called What The Media Doesn’t Tell You, which
discusses subjects the mainstream does not present (or presents only very
briefly) and why the media ignores these subjects.

Greenwald said that there were three fundamental reasons why George Bush
became the Republican candidate in 2000.  One he called “tribalism,â€? meaning
the cultural ideology of the right wing.  Another was the political lineage
of the Bush family.  Finally, Bush has an affable personality that the media
liked.  This last point was of major importance, said Greenwald, because the
mass media focuses on personal amiability and attractiveness, not on
competence or knowledge.  It also focuses, he said, on the horse race
aspects of politics - - who is ahead, by how much and why.  Here too it
ignores competence and knowledge.

The reason the mass media ignores substance is that it is now largely owned
by large corporations, which feel they get more readers and viewers - - and
make more money - - by focusing on personalities rather than substance.
Reporters have to go along with this to advance in their careers.  In this
vacuum of substance, said Greenwald, blogs are making an important
contribution because they are focusing on the substance neglected by the
mass media.

In addition to the foregoing reasons, there were also other reasons too why
George Bush became the Republican candidate.  The Republican political
establishment was desperate to win, especially because it hated the
Clintons, and was persuaded that George Bush had the best chance to win.
And while member of the Republican establishment weren’t completely sure
about Bush’s ideology, they knew they did not like John McCain’s.  Bush also
had name recognition because of membership in a political dynasty, and he
had access to huge sums of money.  Nor did the Republican political
establishment care a whit about the inadequacy of Bush’s record as Governor
of Texas, nor about the fact that he had been a continuous failure in
business - - and thus had never demonstrated competence.

When asked whether America needs a third party because currently it has
“only one party with two branches,â€? Greenwald demurred.  In his view, the
situation is currently so terrible that it is crucial to defeat the
Republicans in 2008, and he feels the Democrats have the best chance to do
this.  He thus favors efforts to change the Democrat Party so that, in those
areas where it closely overlaps the Republicans, it would instead stand for
the very things that a third party would otherwise stand for.  In response
to the possible objection that the nation is claimed to be in a critical
state in every single presidential election - - a claim that would always
augur against a third party and would make it impossible ever to start one -
- Greenwald said that this time the situation truly is dire.

 Greenwald concluded by saying that it is now essential to find
candidates who will engage in honest, competent debate, for the edification
of the American people, about America’s role in the world.

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

War Funding

In this edition of What the Media Doesn't Tell you, host Larry Velvel discusses with long-time journalist Sherwood Ross and peace activist David Swanson issues surrounding the reluctance of Congress to cut off funding for the Iraq war.  Would such a move place our troops in jeopardy?  Does the media investigate this issue and if not, why not?  Has such a move ever been executed before now?

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Gasoline

In this program of What the Media Doesn't Tell You, Larry Velvel and his guest, Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen discuss the real causes for the price we pay for gasoline at the pump.  How has the market become separated from the old formula of supply and demand?  Why doesn't the media cover the real reasons for the inflated price of gasoline?  How does futures trading affect the present price?

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Why do We Have Corrupt Politicians?

In this program, MSL dean Larry Velvel and guests, professor David M. Green and Alan Ehrenhalt, editor of Governing magazine, discuss why so many politicians seem to be corrupt and why the media does a minimal job of covering this phenomenon

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

In this broadcast of What the Media Doesn't Tell you, host Larry Velvel and writer Randy Shaw discuss the issue of whether Iran has a right to be upset about what is happening in their neighboring nation, Iraq.  Do they have valid vested interests in the political outcome in Iraq?  Can any possible justification be given for their potential development of nuclear weaponry?  Why does the mass media either ignore Iran or assume that the administration's pronouncements are correct?

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

In this broadcast of What the Media Doesn't Tell you, host Larry Velvel and veteran journalist Sherman Ross discuss whether the air attack of 9/11 was, in any way, foreseeable.  There were pronouncements by the administration that it was totally unforeseeable, was this true?  Had aircraft ever been used as weapons before, had any ever struck tall buildings?  Should the press have contradicted the official White House information?

The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.