Summary: Real leaders are not reactionary! This week on Talking Left, we did give you our take on some of the major news stories of the week, but we also tried to cover a few stories that the corporate media refused to cover. In the first hour, we talked about the Supreme Court allowing a free speech case to proceed through the lower courts. In Ohio, it is currently a crime to make false statements about someone in a political race. While we certainly don't want dishonest campaign ads, do we really want someone thrown in jail for speech? The Justices have not yet ruled on whether the Ohio law is constitutional, so we'll have to watch this case as it makes its way through the lower courts. In hour two, we discussed the difference between reaction and proaction, and explained how and why we end up with bad legislation. Most lawmakers only call for regulation after some tragedy has occurred, while real leaders, like Senator Bernie Sanders, stand up for what they believe in even before it's popular. We can't turn the congressional followers in to proactive lawmakers, but we can continue to fight to show that the vast majority of this country supports progressive ideas. Also in the second hour, we explained how patent trolls screw over inventors, and how they raise technology costs and stifle innovation. A recent ruling by the Supreme Court says that "abstract ideas" are not protected by patents, and we hope that this case will be used to block patent trolls out right. While we believe that no one should have their creation stolen from them, patents should be used sparingly. We must stop the abuse by companies that use patents like a sword to kill competition and prevent the "next big idea" from taking shape. In hour three, we gave you our take on the war hawks calling for another war in Iraq, and on why you can't ever expect a fair discussion in the corporate media. The fact is, we're never going to get the complete truth from networks that get millions from the military industrial complex. If we want to prevent another Iraq war, the best thing we can do is follow President Obama's lead. We didn't go in to Syria because the President forced Congress to vote on it, and he must demand that they hold an on-the-record vote on going in to Iraq. And, last, but certainly not least, we had the pleasure of speaking with Justice Putnam of Netroots Radio. In addition to hosting his own program: The After Show, Justice is a poet, a musician, an actor, a craftsman, and much more. We decided he certainly qualifies as a modern-day Renaissance Man, and his incredible background allows him to relate to just about anyone. We spoke with Justice about his show, and about the so-called "Men's Rights Movement," that is trying to legitimize misogyny. To hear Justice's take on many more issues, be sure to check out his show, and all of the other great programs on NetRoots Radio! Thanks to Rocky Mountain Mike for writing and producing our incredible theme music! Please check out his amazing Sound Cloud! Thanks to We Act Radio - 1480AM WPWC, Netroots Radio, SoFlo Radio, and Radio or Not,- for helping to ensure all listeners have corporate-free, independent radio! You can also follow all of the news about upcoming topics and guests on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TalkingLeft. And you can subscribe to Talking Left free on iTunes! As always, thanks for listening!
