Episodes
Thursday Jul 05, 2018
Thursday Jul 05, 2018
Mass protests against Trump’s immigration policies swept the nation last Saturday. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is creating a new “denaturalization” task force. Occupy ICE camps expand across the U.S. calling for the end of the agency in the wake of Trump’s child separation policies. 19 ICE high-level ICE agents beg to get separated from the ICE Gestapo.
Democratic Party says “nothing to see here” about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s huge upset victory in the NY-14 last Tuesday, says Nancy Pelosi. But, DNC Chair, Tom Perez tells Bill Press that Ocasio-Cortez represents the future of the party. Shake up in the NY Democratic Machine with Julia Salazar’s run for State Senate. Bronx Dem machine has big meeting and doesn’t invite Ocasio-Cortez and State Senator Gustavo Rivera to the meeting. Tammy Duckworth says it’s just a Bronx thing. Will alienate Midwestern voters she said. Just a reminder: Bernie Sanders won the Democratic Party primaries in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas. Democratic Party leadership sounding similar to the line taken by donors and Wall Street lobbyists. Great episode of This American Life, “It’s My Party and I’ll Try if I Want to,” a couple weeks ago following the campaign of Jeff Beal in the NY 19th provided an interesting look into the DCCC.
An actual headline from Politico this week read: “Illinois Governor Breaks with Cruz over Nazi Candidate”
In the wake of the Janus v. AFSCME ruling, Labor Notes releases a new organizing guide: “Rebuilding Power in Open Shop America.” Seems like required movement for the labor movement right about now.And, a little late to the game, Princeton economists find that unions had a historical role in helping address income inequality. “The rise in income inequality between skilled and unskilled workers since the 1970s might be due, at least in part, to a decline in union membership, Princeton University researchers have found,” they write. New York Gov. Cuomo signs an executive order banning the release of state workers personal”contact information in the wake of the Janus decision.
Goodbye Anthony Kennedy. Monday, Trump - that is, the Federalist Society - is expected to announce his pick for the Supreme Court. Three judges lead the pack: Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Raymond Kethledge. Michigan judge rules that children do not, in fact, have a fundamental right to learn how to read and write.
A new tool from ProPublica allows you to see if your school, college, or university has been investigated for civil rights violations. And this just in...ProPublica outed a white nationalist who is a Ph.D. student at UCLA and who has U.S. government security clearance to work on sensitive research for the defense contractor, Northrop Grumman.
Daylin Leach goes onto Matt Brouillette's podcast and Democrats continue to give Brouillette clout within the party. Kevin Mahoney in Wilkes-Barre, Sean in Harrisburg, and Seth in Brooklyn for #FamiliesBelongTogether marches. Judy Schwank compares Berks Immigration Family Detention Center to her grandchild’s daycare facility, except for the fact that kids in daycare centers get to go home every night.
Senator McGarrigle, one of the prime sponsors of Libre’s Law - a bill that protects animals, rides an elephant in the Springfield 4th of July parade. Animal rights activists are pissed. Lou Barletta had Nigel Farage, you know, the Brexit architect, as a special guest at a fundraiser this past week.
A group of faculty from PASSHE universities are raising money to file an amicus brief in support of Colleen Bradley’s case. Their GoFundMe site, “Help Us Ask the Supreme Court to Stand Up for the First Amendment” already has $550 towards their $1200 goal.
On a serious note, on today’s last call I want to send love to an old college friend and roommate of mine, Ben Tessler. Ben died unexpectedly this week. My thoughts are with his family and kids and with all my friends who were equally shocked when we heard the news. Ben, Rest in Peace.
Next week, I’ll be down the shore. I am hoping to stop by three breweries to stock the fridge: 7 Mile Brewery in Rio Grande, just outside of Wildwood, Cape May Brewing, and Cold Spring Brewery also in Cape May. Nice sour addition at Free Will - Kriek Nouveau - is out and round two is heading into the tank.
Wednesday Jun 27, 2018
Wednesday Jun 27, 2018
Maxine Waters calls on demonstrators to harass the president and his administration members wherever they go in public and gets our civility debate started. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi rebuke Waters and calls for civility. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was kicked out of the Red Hen restaurant. Sparks calls to “let them eat in peace.” Arne Duncan compares Sarah Huckabee Sanders being denied a meal to Jim Crow.
John Micek joins the call for civility by retweeting someone who made millions getting people who believe in death panels and that Barack Obama was a Muslim into the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Huge win in the NY 14th House District. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeats Joe Crowley, the 4th most powerful Democrat in yesterday’s primary. Hey Associated Press: She has a name. Ben Jealous won HUGE the Democratic Party primary for Maryland Governor.
Harsh yet expected news from the Supreme Court this week Court upholds Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban. SCOTUS also sides with California anti-abortion pregnancy centers. Right before we started recording, the Janus v. AFSCME ruling came down. 5-4 decision will have the effect of striking a major blow to public sector labor unions. Hey, labor movement. Better break out copies of Jane McAlevey’s book, No Shortcuts, and re-up your subscriptions to Labor Notes.
Friday Jun 22, 2018
Friday Jun 22, 2018
Internment camps? Prison camps? ProPublica’s audio of kids crying in cages after being separated from families finally gets people’s attention. Right before the dam broke, Trump was receiving the highest approval ratings of his presidency, according to last weekend’s Gallup poll. Hungary - homeland to Sebastian Gorka and his Fascist loving dad - passes “Stop Soros” laws and bans aid to undocumented immigrants.
In a feat of astonishing tone deafness, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week, “On World Refugee Day, we join the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and our international partners in commemorating the strength, courage, and resilience of millions of refugees worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to persecution and conflict….This commitment to the world’s most vulnerable individuals remains a critical component of America’s national security policy.” Democrats helped set the table for this shit show, by the way. Just listen to Chuck Schumer’s speech at Georgetown Law in 2009. Oh, yeah. Hey, media….the brutality and racism IS THE FREAKING POLICY. Did we mention that the US backed out of the UN human rights commission?
Sinclair Media forces its affiliates to air segments blaming media for overreacting about child separation. Trump encourages Washington Post employees to strike hours after it dropped huge scoop on Russian collusion. And it was good to see Rachel Maddow off the Russia story for a bit. Good to have you back.
LOCK HIM UP! Paul Manafort goes to prison for witness tampering. Gets put in “solitary confinement” for his own protection? Ocasio-Cortez faces off against Joe Crowley for the heart and soul of the democratic party this Tuesday in New York City. Ocasio-Cortez is endorsed by groups like Our Revolution and the Democratic Socialists of America
Still waiting for the Janus v. AFSCME ruling to drop. Looks like Monday at this point. Republican-oriented polling firm releases poll showing ⅔ of Americans and majority of union households would support a ruling in favor of Janus.
Melania wears a jacket that says “I really don’t care. Do u?” on an airplane to visit immigrant children separated from their families. Elon Musk registers a domain named “Pravda” that would rate journalists credibility. Speaking of Elon Musk, Musk goes on a twitter claiming that he is a socialist and Marx was a capitalist because he wrote a book on capitalism.
Closer to home in PA, the budget is done. Protests to shut down the Berks Detention Center. 17-year-old Antwon Rose was unarmed and shot and killed by East Pittsburgh. Police. Colleen Bradley files Petition for Writ of Certiorari to SCOTUS. We’ve got the hard copy. Now is the time to pay attention, step up, and get behind this case.
In today’s last call, Trump’s Space Force is officially “Separate but Equal to the Air Force” and may be used to fight Asteroids. Epic dust storm on Mars covers the planet.
Canada legalizes pot. Free Will hosts Sour Sunday #3 this coming Sunday and they are bringing out The Pomisher (2018) – Sour Ale Aged in Oak Casks with Pomegranate – 6.3% ABV. And...yes there’s an and...Blushing Apricot – Sour Ale Aged in Oak Casks with Apricots – 5.3% ABV.
Kevin Mahoney of Raging Chicken Press is teaming up with Colleen Fitzgerald from A Home, Stony Run, to bring you a new podcast: Free Range. Free Range focuses on food, politics, and communities of resistance...or community as resistance. What a better way to ground our political organizing than in the very ground we walk upon. The people, places, and processes of sustenance.
We’ll be posting all show updates and information about the project on our Facebook page. Just look for Free Range on Facebook and be sure to like us.
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Kevin: Hey. This is Kevin Mahoney from Raging Chicken Press
Colleen: And, this is Colleen Fitzgerald from A Home, Stony Run.
Kevin: We’ve come together to bring you a new podcast called Free Range. Free Range focuses on food, politics, and communities of resistance...or community as resistance.
Colleen: What a better way to ground our political organizing than in the very ground we walk upon. The people, places, and processes of sustenance.
If you like what you hear, check out our projects and leave us a comment to let us know what you think.
Kevin: You can find my work at RagingChickenPress.org. You can also check out Raging Chicken’s weekly podcast called Out d’Coup. Each week I talk to Raging Chicken’s muckraker-in-chief, Sean Kitchen, about the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics. And, of course, make sure to like us on Facebook and follow @rcpress on Twitter.
Colleen: You can find my work at TracedLines.com. Each week I write about my local farms, farmers, artisans, artists, and activists. You will find recipes, reflections, and photography that work to develop and discuss ways we build communities Follow me on at @mzccfitz on Instagram.
Kevin: Hope you’re loving Free Range as much as we love making it. Bread and roses, all.
Colleen: Vive la résistance!
.
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Trump consummates his relationship with Kim Jong Un in the Philippines, earning him double-authoritarian-experience points. Trump organization celebrates by releasing a 4-minute movie trailer on Trump and North Korea. “Destiny Pictures” (aka the National Security Council) presents, “A Story of Opportunity.” Meanwhile, Trump blows up the G7.
The FBI will release report on Hillary’s emails later today. Trump organization is drooling in anticipation. Net Neutrality dead...say it with me...elections have consequences. Good thing is that we’ll have more corporate giants after a court gives the green light to the AT&T and Time-Warner merger. Next up to the plate, Comcast, Disney, CVS...and so many more. Your safe for now Amazon. Google. Larry Kudlow suffers a heart attack, showing at least someone in the Trump administration has a heart.
Amazon also in the news for successfully pressuring Seattle city council to take back a new tax that would have helped homelessness. Cal-Exit?!? A plan to split California into three separate states made it on the November ballot as a ballot initiative. Virginia Republicans nominate Corey Stewart for the US Senate. Stewart has ties to white nationalists and neo nazis who organized the Charlottesville hate fest.
Michelle Wolf 1, Sarah Huckabee Sanders 0. Sarah “Fact Burner” Huckabee CBS News reports that Sanders is reportedly on the way out. Sanders says she was at kindergarten and knows nothing about it.
Tom Wolf takes John Fetterman out shopping for a tie. He’ll need one of them for when he presides over the Senate. Sean meets up with David Daley, author of Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn’t Count, in the Pennsylvania Capitol this week. Daley was in town to witness and research Pennsylvania Senate Republicans’ horrific gerrymandering bill. PA Republicans are seeing to gut and existing gerrymandering reform bill and add a provision to gerrymander the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Commonwealth Court, and the Superior Courts. The result of the bill could be guaranteed GOP majorities for as far as the eye can see. [Get up to speed on Daley's work: New Yorker review; Vox; Majority Report].
And we’re happy to introduce a new podcast! Kevin Mahoney of Raging Chicken and Colleen Fitzgerald of A Home, Stony Run, are collaborating on a Free Range podcast focusing on food, policy, politics, and communities of resistance. Their inaugural episode launches today. Check out and like their Facebook page.
In today’s Last Call, Senator Wagner gets his Jimmy Johns boxed lunch in the Capitol. All that campaigning has him hungry. NASA head Jim Bridenstine all in with galactic capitalism and a Moon colony. Sean heads home. Free Will gets ready for a big Father’s Day weekend.
Tuesday Jun 12, 2018
Tuesday Jun 12, 2018
Kevin Mahoney of Raging Chicken Press and Colleen Fitzgerald of A Home, Stony Run have been talking about collaborating on a podcast for a while. Now it's a reality.
Free Range will explore intersections of sustainability and resistance; politics and community; the urban and the rural; national policy and local practice. And there will be tangents. Yes, the organic stuff that critical conversations welcome.
The first episode of Free Range will drop on Wednesday, June 13th. We hope you’ll stop by.
For a flavor of our conversations, listen to this short preview.
Friday Jun 08, 2018
Friday Jun 08, 2018
Preparing for the coming autocracy, Trump talks about pardoning himself. US Ambassador to Germany says he is interested in helping bolster the far-right in Europe. Giuliani tells the Wall Street Journal that Kim Jong Un got “on his hands and knees and begged” American diplomats to come to the June 12 Summit in Singapore as originally planned. That should go over well. Trump disinvites the Philadelphia Eagles after no one from the team was going to show to the white house.
No Cake for you! Supreme Court rule that religious baker had the right to not bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. According to a recent report from Zillow Research, the next recession is expected by 2020.
Jahan Wilcox, a spokesperson for EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, calls a journalist a “piece of trash” when asked for comment about recent resignations. Conservative Stanford Professor asks his students to do oppo research on a progressive undergraduate student - “get the dirt, he said in emails”. Great piece in the Columbia Journalism Review on class and funding journalism.
Bronx Activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez taking on the Democratic Machine in her challenge of the 4th most powerful Dem in the House, Joseph Crowley. David Koch steps down from Koch Industries and the Koch political machine. UN report says Donald Trump’s administration is forcing millions of Americans into financial ruin and poverty.
Senator Scott "Soprano" Wagner resigns from the PA Senate. Wagner’s first political stunt since leaving office involved going into a poor minority community of Philadelphia to browbeat the city because the grass at a local park wasn’t mowed. Scott Wagner compared to The Penguin from Batman? Is that a bridge too far? Is it immature? Have we really lost our sense of decorum? Marcel Groen punches down.
PA Promise was introduced on Wednesday (finally). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is killing political cartoons that are critical of Trump. PA Judge rejects attempts by the Catholic Church to delay publishing a grand jury report about sex abuse by priests and cover-ups by religious leaders. The grand jury report focused on six of eight Catholic dioceses: Allentown, Scranton, Harrisburg, Erie, Greensburg, and Pittsburgh.
Philly DSA members join Poor People's Campaign to rally for a healthy environment and health care for all. Philadelphia Berniecrats win South Philly ward seats that were once controlled by Johnny Doc and his machine.
New week we launch “Free Range” a collaborative podcast with Colleen Fitzgerald from, A Home, Stony Run.
Air Force Space Command hands over responsibility for fighting hackers in cyberspace to the Air Combat Command. NASA’s new climate denying administer, Jim Bridenstine, says it’s time to bring in the privateers to the International Space Station and space exploration. NASA’s International Space Station, not actually for sale. Think of it more like a mall. NASA reveals that Antarctica’s largest iceberg is about to melt away near South America.
Free Will has some great stuff out this week and hit the canning hard this week to have lots in stock. Check out:
- Guerrilla Grafting – Pastel IPA with rice, milk sugar, and lychee fruit – 8.7% ABV released this week. That’s a collaboration with Levante Brewing
- Another Levante Brewing collab is out, DDH Cloudy² – Double Dry Hopped New England-style IPA – 6.7% ABV
- Race Against Time – Orange Creamsicle-inspired IPA – 7.2% ABV, a Collaboration with Chatty Monks Brewing
- still going to recommend checking out last week’s release of Judo Financing, New England-style IPA with Key Limes; and, DEFINITELY check out Duct Tape and Zip Ties – House Pilsner
- If you’ve got some beer tips that you think we should give a shout out to, send us an email at ragingchickenpress@gmail.com with the subject line “Last Call Tips.”
Sean talks about his latest pictures and his new prints. Check out kitchen.snapz on Instagram.
Friday Jun 01, 2018
Friday Jun 01, 2018
Roseanne Barr fired for popping off a racist tweet over the weekend. She said it was the Ambien. Ambien maker says racism is not a known side-effect of taking their product. Donald Trump goes on a Padron-Palooza. Issued pardon for Dinesh D'souza and ponders pardons or commutations for Martha Stewart and Rod Blagojevich. North Korea summit. Is it on or off? Trump signs right to try drug legislation. Dick’s sporting goods says that ending sales of assault weapons has not hurt its sales as expected.
Recent Supreme Court ruling that prevents workers from joining in class action lawsuits if signed “forced arbitration” clause is already smacking down Chipotle workers. Federal Reserve votes to ease regulations on the big banks, setting the stage for the next financial meltdown. Ireland votes overwhelmingly to end abortion ban. Tom Perez pisses off progressives with Cuomo endorsement.
Scott Wagner to resign from the Senate June 4th. Not like there’s a budget to complete or anything like that. Wolf campaign turns up the heat in response. Sean goes to Raise Wage demo. Tomorrow (Friday), Lou Barletta press conference in Capitol Rotunda.
Sean watched Star Wars. Sean got some awesome art. Sean’s looking to sell some prints. Working for Elon Musk is Hell. Jeff Bezos saves The Expanse then lays out plans for Moon colony. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross says “Moon Base will be a reality sooner than you think.” Free Will new can release. Judo Financing is a great New England style IPA with key limes. Free Will also stocked with Miscommunication and their house pilsner, Duct Tape and Zip Ties. Hill Farmstead Owner Shaun Hill goes on the record about alcohol and mental health issues in the craft beer industry, then blames the journalist for reporting on the interview. Oops.
Thursday May 24, 2018
Thursday May 24, 2018
SCOTUS rules against workers. Workers must abide by forced arbitration clauses. Welcome to the privatization of our court system. Justice Neil “Elections-have-consequences” Gorsuch wrote for the majority. The ruling has potentially significant implications for #MeToo movement. The highlight of the ruling was Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s blistering dissent.
Trump formally announces new gag rule barring family planning clinics that receive federal funding under Title X from providing abortions or referring patients to abortion services. And court challenges are dubious because...say it with me...elections have consequences. On the positive side of the ledger. court rules that Trump can’t block people on Twitter. No troll-free zone for your highness.
Last week we learned of Trump’s bromance with Kim Jong Un and their meet-up in the Philippines. Now, North Korea is yanking Donald’s chain, warning of a nuclear showdown and calling Mike Pence a “political dummy.” And this just in this morning...Trump cancels the Philippine summit. There goes the Nobel Peace Prize.
We were not recording last Friday when the latest school shooting went down in Santa Fe, Texas. The NRA death cult has been feverishly going through their post-child sacrifice rituals. Guns don’t kill people...guns don’t kill people...guns don’t kill people.
A report released earlier this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found an unexpected increase in emissions of CFC-11, a chemical banned under the 1987 Montreal Climate Protocol. Scientists say this suggests someone may be secretly manufacturing the pollutant in violation of the international accord. Who wants to bet we’ll find out in the end that Jared Kushner and the Emir of Qatar will be involved in some way.
Huge news out of Georgia. Stacey Abrams becomes the first African American woman to ever win a major party nomination for governor. Not only that, she won her primary running against a centrist Democrat - Stacey Evans who ran on the typical corporate Democrat line of shifting to the right.
A former executive of Frisco Hospice in Texas admitted to overdosing patients to “hasten their deaths” so the company could rake in the bucks. The $60 million scheme with Nova Health Services owner Bradley and Amy Harris made patients “go bye-bye” when the company could no longer profit. Also in Texas, Texas Lt governor Dan Patrick thinks that banning doors on school buildings will stop mass shooters. He clarifies his statements later saying that guns don’t kill people, video games and movies kill people.
NFL bans taking a knee during the national anthem, because freedom. And in other sports news, City of Milwaukee releases video showing rookie NBA player getting tased for parking in a handicapped spot.
PA legislators want their nothing burgers medium rare with a side of per diems. #PAHouse not expected to vote on much on this rare Thursday session day because @PAHouseGOP caucus can't get enough support on some controversial bills. PA Senate passed the pipeline protest criminalization bill with the happy support of several Democrats. Word has it that the House doesn’t have the energy to take it up. PA Democrats all shaky after DSA wins.
Scarnati pushing hard for open primaries in PA now. What’s going on with that? Poor people’s campaign back in the Capitol loud and proud. Several demonstrators arrested for...what...tug-o’-war? Sean was there and got some great pics and vids of the action.
In a secret process. Daniel Greenstein, a former director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Postsecondary Success program, was chosen to be the next Chancellor of PASSHE. Everyone is jumping on the positive PR blitz...and that may pan out. But right now there’s few specifics and lots of fawning over Dr. McDreamy...just look at that hair. [he’s a doctor]. Look, Greenstein might turn out to be great...but we’re going to hold off on that until we’ve “done our research” and see some specifics.
And, Colleen Bradley readies her writ of certiorari for the U.S. Supreme Court.
In today’s Last Call, the Syfy channel cancels The Expanse just when it’s getting good. Amazon may play hero.
Does craft beer have a worker problem? A great new piece in Splinter about the issue.
Kevin was in Chicago last weekend...which is why we went a little early last week. I got to see an awesome comedy show at Up Comedy Club of Second City in Chicago. The show was an all-women show, #SheThePeople. It was an awesome feminist review.
I got to sample some great beer from Revolution Brewing while in Chicago. I had their tasty American IPA, Anti-Hero - Their Flagship IPA. That went nicely with some great grub at Corcoran’s Grill and Pub in Old Town. I also had Yum Yum by 3 Floyds Brewing at Corcoran’s. That was a light session Pale Ale.
My favorite, though, was The Defender American Stout by Haymarket Brewing. Brewed with Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Dark Crystal Malt and Oats then hopped and dry-hopped with Cascade, Chinook, and Amarillo. It was nice drinking that on the 10th-floor balcony of Cindy’s rooftop restaurant in the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, overlooking Millennial Park.
Philly beer week kicks off from June 1 - 10.
Wednesday May 16, 2018
Wednesday May 16, 2018
We will not have our regularly scheduled Friday show this week, but we just had to bring you a post-PA primary recap. It was a huge night for PA's progressive future.
John Fetterman defeats Mike Stack for Lt. Gov. Stack becomes first Lt. Gov. to lose reelection.
4 DSA Candidates Make it to the general election. DSA Members Sara Innamorato and Summer Lee take down the Costa family machine in Pittsburgh. They easily defeat Dom and Paul Costa by 2-1 margins. Elizabeth Fiedler wins a four-way primary with a majority of the vote in South Philly. Kristin Seale will be facing off against DelCo Republican Chris Quinn in November.
PA Democrats flip a Bucks County state house seat that Republicans have controlled for over 35 years. Helen Tai, daughter of Chinese immigrants, will be representing that seat for the next 6 months. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Ballard Spahr lawyer, defeats Johnny Doc and Bernie-backed Rich Lazer in the crowded PA 05 primary. Ballard Spahr enjoys breaking unions, supports charter schools, and works with Comcast. Progressives were torn over Bernie backing Lazer. Madeleine Dean wins her primary in the PA 04. Greg Edwards came up short in the PA-7, but at least Morganelli was defeated. Susan Wild will head to the general election in November.
Scott Wagner pulls out a victory in the Republican primary for Governor. Governor Wolf's campaign comes out swinging before the ink is dry on the primary results. And, anti-immigrant Lou Barletta will take on Bob Casey this fall.
Rick Saccone loses, again. He’ll have to take his waterboarding towel and free meals from lobbyists somewhere else. At least he's got his godly heritage.