education policy

Republicans discuss their values as if they are defending small government and private property, but they’ve evolved much more towards being the defense line of corporate America in recent years. Where is their party-loyal consideration of the private property of shrimpers in the gulf coast? Restaurant owners? Other small people’s property and livelihoods affected by the gulf spill? Texas Congressmen Joe Barton recently commented that the administration securing $20 billion to finance handling the repercussions of the BP Oil Spill was a "shakedown" by the Obama administration, indicating the persistent political policies to debate the funding rather than the tragedy itself. Richard Kim of The Nation joins us in studio to elaborate on the politics dictating these ironies and hypocrisies. None of the laborers cleaning up the gulf coast are even under a union contract in the first place, and despite the enormous growth under Andy Stern’s leadership, current president Mary Kay Henry says that the SEIU is still fighting for paid sick days. ; After the labor movement poured millions into a battle they ultimately lost in Arkansas, trying to remove Blanche Lincoln, one of the senators who helped kill the Employee Free Choice Act, is the long-term alliance with the Democratic party in trouble? Max Fraser of The Nation and Michael Whitney of Firedoglake join us in studio to deconstruct these present and potential future dilemmas of the labor movement in both their political and practical forms. Lastly, Melissa Harris Lacewell discusses if America's inherently progressive youth will disregard Arizona and Texas' recent discriminatory education policies.