Living in the USA

The hedge-fund magnate Robert Mercer was probably the most important backer of Trump for president. Jane Mayer of The New Yorker has the first in-depth report on this little-known figure and former Breitbart News funder. Also: Is Trump like Nixon? Both won by exploiting the resentments of the white working class; both covered up crimes committed by their campaigns against the Democrats. But Rick Perlstein, author of the classic book 'Nixonland,' says the answer is no: Trump is not like Nixon.

The House GOP postponed its vote to repeal Obamacare and replace it with TrumpCare, I mean RyanCare. On ”Trump Watch” we have comment from John Nichols of The Nation. Also: Why do many white workers who voted for Trump still support him? The Nation sent D.D. Guttenplan to the rust belt to find out— he’s returned now with his report. Plus: The City of LA has expanded its sanctuary policy – but the County sheriff is pulling back from the crucial question of the jails. We’ll speak about it with Ahilan Arulanantham, legal director of the ACLU of southern California.

Sheila Kuehl talks about all the ways Los Angeles county has taken a stand against Trump. LA County is bigger than 44 states; Sheila is one of five elected members of the Board of Supervisors. Also: The endless war in Afghanistan: now it's Trump's. Andrew Bacevich comments. Plus: Harold Meyerson talks about Trump's bad week: a budget facing lots of opposition, a health care "plan" facing lots of opposition, and a second Muslim travel ban that's been blocked by the courts.

Congressman Ted Lieu of Los Angeles talks about TrumpCare, the new Muslim Travel Ban, and the call to investigate wiretapping of Trump Tower. Also: “High Noon” was the 1952 Western where Gary Cooper has to face the bad guys alone, because the local townspeople are all cowards. Glenn Frankel the Pulitzer-prize winning author says it’s an allegory about the Hollywood Blacklist – and he thinks there are parallels to today. And Mark Rosenbaum is the attorney at Public Counsel who’s been on the front lines of the fight against Trump’s Muslim ban. Yesterday he argued the first case of a Dreamer they’re trying to deport, in Seattle, and he represents the Afghan family that was detained for more than 40 hours at LAX last week despite the fact that they had visas and had been vetted for entry into the country.

The Koch brothers, the GOP’s biggest donors, didn’t support Trump for president—but he’s supporting their pro-business and anti-environmental agenda now. Jane Mayer of The New Yorker explains; her book Dark Money is out now in paperback. plus: Who’s the political figure in our history most different from Donald Trump? The answer is easy: Eleanor Roosevelt. Blanche Wiesen Cook comments—the third and final volume of her biography of Eleanor is out now.

Amy Wilentz reviews recent reports that Ivanka has checked her father's worst impulses -- Amy's cover story about Ivanka appeared in The Nation last week. And John Nichols reviews Trump's first month -- and answers the question, 'What is Trump's biggest achievement thus far?'

Trump's 2/16 press conference: John Nichols of The Nation talks about the chaotic blizzard of news on Day 28. Trump was asked about the revelations that his National Security advisor Mike Flynn had talked with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office,He said “the leaks were real but the stories are fake.” John explains -- everything.

Matt Taibbi says “Trump made idiots of us all.” He covered the campaign for Rolling Stone—and his new book is "Insane Clown President." Also: suing the president: it’s not easy. But Erwin Chemerinsky has found a way to do it--under the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Erwin is Dean of the law school at UC Irvine.

Harold Meyerson on Trump's effort to recruit labor unions -- a "Faustian bargain" especially for the mostly-Latino Laborers Union. plus: "Dark Money and Donald Trump": Jane Mayer of The New Yorker comments on Trump's emerging ties to the Koch Brothers, despite their antagonism during the campaign. And Amy Wilentz talks about Ivanka, our de facto first lady -- what can she really do for working women?

KATHA POLLITT talks about the Women’s March last Saturday, and why it was so great — starting with the Pussy Hats. And Harold Meyerson reviews the situation in Washington –Trump’s first week has been a lively one. Harold of course is Executive Editor of The American Prospect. Also, Alan Minsky explains what’s happening with Trump and Trade after the TPP and with NAFTA after the blow-up with the Mexican president.