Voter Suppression w/ Actress & Activist Mimi Kennedy/Hidden History of Monopolies w/ Thom Hartmann

Two Part Episode!
First Up,


Actress and progressive activist Mimi Kennedy, whose Hollywood credentials include notable reoccuring roles in the TV shows Dharma and Greg and the ongoing CBS sitcom Mom in addition to films like Midnight in Paris, In the Loop,  Erin Brokovich, and (J.G.'s personal favorite) Pump Up the Volume, joins us to discuss how she became an activist as well her commendable efforts to promote election education among voters and prevent voter suppression. In particular, Mimi explains the dilemma of what she calls "The Surrender Rule" with regards to mail-in ballots. We also talk about how Mimi got involved with activism related to the issue of election integrity, her efforts to block the use of Diebold touchscreen voting machines in L.A. country, and why poll workers are needed now more than ever in the age of COVID-19. Mimi also provides her thoughts on the right wing media's portrayal of Hollywood as "too liberal" and the role Catholic social teachings played a role in developing her political consciousness.

Then,


Legendary progressive radio host Thom Hartmann joins us to discuss the latest entry in his Hidden History book series, The Hidden History of Monopolies: How Big Business Destroyed the American Dream. We begin by discussing the relevance of the Hidden History series in light of the George Floyd murder and how the history Thom is shedding light on is becoming less hidden and more well-known each and every day. From there we pivot into a conversation of what monopolies are and the adverse effect they have on We the People as a nation. Thom also fills us in on how monopolies tie into the story of the Boston Tea Party vis-à-vis the British East India company, Lewis Powell and the other players who sought to combat progressive activists like Ralph Nader (who provides the foreward for Thom's new book!) by promoting pro-business interest in various sectors of society like academia, the horrible legacy of Reaganomics and the Ronald Reagan presidency, and the problems of copyright and patent laws (which, as Thom points out, the founding fathers would have a thing or to say about!). All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views!

This Episode Brought to You By:

The War State:
The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963
by
Michael Swanson
of
The Wall Street Window