Coffee Party USA Radio

Press [1] for Democracy (P1FD) is a Coffee Party Radio show that discusses the political issues of the day in a civil, fact-based, and transpartisan manner.  Transpartisan is quite different from bi- or non-partisan in the we encourage callers to be passionate about their positions, but also that they listen and respond to those with differing points of view respectfully and with a true desire to find common ground on which solutions can be built.   Tonight on P1FD . . . Who is going to bail out Main Street – and when? As we approach the midterm elections and look forward to 2016, my only question is this:  “Who is going to bail out Main Street, and when?”  The crash of 2008 sent the vast majority of Americans into a financial tailspin.  As reported in the NY Times in March of 2009, “For the full year, household wealth dropped $11.1 trillion, or about 18 percent.” The next biggest annual decline in wealth came in 2002, when household net worth fell a measly 3%!  Of course, those too-big-to-fail Wall Street institutions got their bailout courtesy of their “bought-and-paid-for” DC minions.  And thanks to substantial subsidies and low interest rate loans, within three quarters, corporate profits were already above pre-crash levels.  Meanwhile, there was, and still is no help in sight for the victims of the Wall Street Schemers and the Off-shoring Mega-corps.  Or is there?  Tonight on Press [1] for Democracy, we want to hear who you think, if anyone cares enough not just to campaign on (a.k.a. lie like every elected politician in the past decade), but actually pursue policies to help get Middle-Class Americans back on their feet.   And as always, if you can’t make the show, please leave your feedback here and we’ll read you into the record.

Politics Done Right With Egberto Willies is a political talk show on current events. While the show has a admittedly liberal bent, it seeks to engage citizens of all political ideologies to foment a healthy discourse. Join us on Saturdays from 12:00 Noon CST to 2:00 PM CST.

Be a Citizen Journalist - Encore Broadcast How many times have you heard soundbites on the evening news and recognized that this is only the tip of the iceberg of a story?  Have you wanted to dig deeper?   Or conversely, have you watched a news channel that challenged what you thought was true about a story?  And immediately dismissed it as spin? The Coffee Party Newsroom Team has embarked on an exciting experiment.  How can we, as citizen journalists, report a 360 degree spectrum of stakeholder perspective on topics of interest to us?  And challenge our own thinking about what is “true” and “fact.”   Today, we interview Newsroom Volunteer, Marianne Castiglia about this exciting new experiment and how other people can participate. Want to join the fun?  Volunteer here.    

This week’s show  Obama said No Strategy on ISIL in Syria, refreshing  The mainstream media is hyperventilating again. The President says he does not yet have a strategy on ISIL, ISIS in Syria. Currently the American military is doing a masterful job of containing their expansion in Iraq that may affect “American interests.”  To simply go to all out war whether mostly by air would be just as irresponsible as Bush’s Iraq war was. It is wonderful to have a sane thoughtful President for a change.  What are your thoughts?  You can also find previous episodes on YouTube HERE.  Give me a call. Let’s talk.  -----------------------------------------------------------  Call In, talk and/or Listen: (646) 929-2495.  Listen HERE.  -----------------------------------------------------------  Full Blog Post HERE. 

Encore Presentation: Hoarding the Cash or Spreading the Wealth? In June  Join the Coffee Party Movement’s Facebook page posted the following quote from the play (and movie) Hello Dolly. "Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow."  We asked the simple question, “how would YOU spread money/manure around?” While our post never said ANYTHING about taxes or giving money to the government, most of the 200+ comments on the Facebook post assumed that is what we meant. So let’s try this again: If YOU had the money to spread around and encourage young things to grow, what would you nurture? How would you use the money? Or would you hoard it? Our callers on the live show had a lot to say. Join us on Lunch with Louden and share your ideas of “encouraging young things to grow.” LUNCH with LOUDEN Jeanene Louden and co-host Debilyn Molineaux talk about current events and look for opportunities to bridge political divides, expose corruption and share information not covered in mainstream media.

This week’??s show Media is a tool used to malign black men for a reason? August 23rd, 2014 The media will be leaving Ferguson, Missouri in the next few days. They would have exposed a cancer in yet another American city. The question is what part have they played in growing that cancer over time as well as with their current presence. There is a purpose why the media has made ‘the other’, people not in the majority yet, people of color and specifically black men to be ‘personas non grata’. There is a reason. There is a purpose. We must go beyond that reason, defy, and come together really as one nation. What are your thoughts? Let’s  talk. I will also be following our hash-tag #PoliticsDoneRight on Twitter. You can also find previous episodes on YouTube here.

Today we will be interviewing Active Citizens involved with "truth and justice" in Ferguson, MO. Dan Johnson, President and Founder of People Against NDAA, is in Ferguson now. You can read about his GoFundMe project, Justice for Ferguson, at http://www.gofundme.com/d1yrig Christina Arechiga became an active citizen when her cousin, Ernest Duenez Jr, was murdered by Manteca, California, Police. You can see a video news report about her efforts to support the people of Ferguson in Sacramento last week here: http://video.fox40.com/Ferguson-Protest-Held-in-Sacramento-26525202#.U_UUmbxdU7t Today’s co-host, Bobby Rodrigo, among other activities, works with Dan Johnson and PANDA. Debilyn Molineaux is off on assignment this week.  LUNCH with LOUDEN Jeanene Louden and co-host Debilyn Molineaux talk about current events and look for opportunities to bridge political divides, expose corruption and share information not covered in mainstream media.  

Press [1] for Democracy (P1FD) is a Coffee Party Radio show that discusses the political issues of the day in a civil, fact-based, and transpartisan manner.  Transpartisan is quite different from bi- or non-partisan in the we encourage callers to be passionate about their positions, but also that they listen and respond to those with differing points of view repsectfully and with a true desire to find common ground on which solutions can be built.   Tonight on P1FD . . . When does a "conspiracy theory" begin to seem plausible?  Before the dawn of the current century, I personally dismissed any anti-gun control argument based on the notion that the 2nd Amendment gave citizens the right to possess weapons without restriction as protection against a tyrannical government.  Sounds crazy, right?  But then, last December, Senator Diane Feinstein (D-Cali) introduced an amendment to NDAA 2012 that allows a US Citizen living on US Soil to be detained Gitmo style.  No lawyer, no trial, not contact with family -- a complete eradication of your constitutional right of Habeas Corpus.  Then, just this Saturday, she announced a comprehensive bill to upgrade an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004; a ban that could arguably leave you defenseless against a tyranical attempt to deprive you of your right to liberty.  Please understand, I believe this a very remote possibility at best; but to not at least question Senator Feinstein's motives would be unwise.  

This week’??s show Just another black man executed by police? August 16th, 2014 Will this be just another black man executed by police or will we finally do something about it? Yesterday Michael Eric Dyson admonished President Obama for a rather neutral statement on theexecution of Michael Brown. Is it time for the President to engage? One of my previous CNN iReport colleagues and friend David J White thinks so. He wrote on one of my posts the following. David J White Even with all the nefarious shit Obama has to endure via the#RacistGOP, he should have further engaged the nation on egregious police brutality on African Americans. Over the period of a month, we’ve witnessed: Black woman being pummeled by a CHIPs officer, a group of #RacistRogueCopsin NYC, choke a man to death, and now the shooting death of an unarmed teen in #Ferguson. The time for #PBO to address RACE is NOW. I few months back I wrote the piece I was Trayvon Martin the day I came to America. It is amazing that all black men still are. What are your thoughts? Let’s  talk. I will also be following our hash-tag #PoliticsDoneRight on Twitter. You can also find previous episodes on YouTube here.

Where do people turn when common sense solutions can’t be seen on the political horizon? Our guest today has a very serious suggestion. As of April this year, Charlie Wheelan became an accidental activist when he realized that the concepts he taught and wrote about needed to move from thoughts and words to deeds. He added The Centrist Manifesto to his list of best sellers, and started the Centrist Project which is principled in fiscal responsibility, environmental responsibility, good governance, social tolerance, economic opportunity AND solving problems.   His plan is simple.   1.  Create a home for moderate voters.   2.  Elect five independent, centrist minded Senators.   Today we’ll talk with Charlie Wheelan about his activism, his books and maybe even a little economics.  After all, he is an economics professor and has written Naked Economics, Undressing the Dismal Science and Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from Data among others.  What’s up with the “naked”?  We’ll ask him on today’s Lunch with Louden.  Won’t you join us?  

Press [1] for Democracy (P1FD) is a Coffee Party Radio show that discusses the political issues of the day in a civil, fact-based, and transpartisan manner.  Transpartisan is quite different from bi- or non-partisan in the we encourage callers to be passionate about their positions, but also that they listen and respond to those with differing points of view repsectfully and with a true desire to find common ground on which solutions can be built.   Tonight on P1FD . . . Lawrence Lessig asks:  Do you have the common sense and strength of character needed to rid politics of the undue influence of special interests? Lawrence Lessig, renowned self-identified Progressive and leader of the Revolutionary Mayday PAC movement continues his call for a multi-partisan movement to rid politics of the tsunami of special interest money that has warped our system of Government.  Today he announced three additional candidates who will be receiving assistance from the Mayday PAK. Carol Shea-Porter (D, NH-1), and Walter Jones (R, NC-3), as well as our support for Ruben Gallego (D, AZ-07) in the Arizona Democratic Primary.”  In the end, Lessig’s core message remains the same:  “Reform will only happen if it is supported by Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike.”   So, like Mr. Lessig, Coffee Party USA wants to know:  Are you ready to get on board with this multi-partisan movement, or will you continue to let your own personal philosophy prohibit you from working with those who you consider your political opposites, even if it means that the only winners are big business and the wealthy?

This week’??s show Minimum wage, Another Iraq War? August 8th, 2014 The big story this week is our reentry into Iraq. Did the President do the right thing? Is it only America’s responsibility to police the world? Should other countries that depend more on the oil from that region be more engaged? Those are questions that must be answered. The burden of war seemed to be placed more on  Americans than anyone else. But is it our leaders continual intervention that makes that our reality? But before we get into Iraq, I want to talk about the minimum wage debate. This week an unlikely person weighed in with a welcomed position. Joe Scarborough made finally owned up to reality. What are your thoughts? Let’s  talk. I will also be following our hash-tag #PoliticsDoneRight on Twitter. You can also find previous episodes on YouTube here.

This week we will interview Active Citizen and new Coffee Party Board member, Tonya Jefferson. We will get to know who she is, and talk with her about her activism, including her participation with SAVE OUR HOSPITAL in North Carolina. Then we will discuss her involvement with Coffee Party USA, and her decision to run for Director for Channel Marketing. LUNCH w LOUDEN Jeanene Louden and co-host Debilyn Molineaux talk about current events and look for opportunities to bridge political divides, expose corruption and share information not covered in mainstream media.  

Coffee Party USA hosts calls for volunteers to provide information about team opportunities within the organization.  Calls like this on are hosted about every two weeks to answer questions and connect volunteers with our team leaders.  The call actually starts at 9:25.  We were chatting while waiting for people to join us!

Press [1] for Democracy (P1FD) is a Coffee Party Radio show that discusses the political issues of the day in a civil, fact-based, and transpartisan manner.  Transpartisan is quite different from bi- or non-partisan in the we encourage callers to be passionate about their positions, but also that they listen and respond to those with differing points of view repsectfully and with a true desire to find common ground on which solutions can be built.   Tonight on P1FD . . . Join special Guest Hosts Kathleen Morgan and Marianne Castiglia for a look at bias in the mainstream media.  Do American’s trust what is published in newspapers, or broadcast on TV and radio news programs? Charges of bias in the mainstream media seem to be raging stronger than ever.  Do you believe that some media outlets distort stories and then allow other stories to get more or less attention? Do you ever feel that minor or trivial stories like celebrity divorce or even lengthy murder trials are used to distract us from getting vital information that has a greater impact on ourselves and our country? “Media bias” describes an unbalanced or unfair reporting style that is meant not to inform, but to sway public opinion.  On today's Press [1] for Democracy, let's talk about what’s being reported by today’s mainstream media, how it’s being presented, and how it is effecting conversations in neighborhood coffee shops and at work around the water cooler.