immigration reform

"Ann Coulter hasn't beheaded anybody, I'm glad that's the new marker for extremism," says Markos Moulitsas of criticism of his new book, American Taliban. To the argument that comparing the American Right to the Taliban is unfair and hyperbolic, Markos notes that you don't have to go too far back in U.S. history to find lynchings and other forms of violence used in service of repressive ideas. Markos joins Laura in studio to talk about the book, the Democrats' disdain for their progressive base, the problems with the filibuster, and much more. What's all this talk about being in a "race" when it comes to education? Does the "Race to the Top" framing change anything? And what's all of this racing really doing for our kids? This week's featured documentary, Race to Nowhere, takes a look at just what's going on with our schools, and whether putting a lot of pressure on kids to ace constant tests and load themselves with work is actually producing happy, well-educated people. "If Democrats are in trouble, we don't have to presume they are in trouble because they did too much." So says John Nichols, who sat down with Laura in Wisconsin, at Fighting Bob Fest, and discussed progressive congresspeople who have been stalwarts in Washington since their election on a wave of anti-Bush feeling--and who face tough races.

Laura talks about how immigration reform has the potential to be far, far messier and spark more violence than the healthcare battle because it strikes at the xenophobic heart of the tea party movement.

Victoria Marquez, a member of the Service Employees International Union, tells her story--of struggling for fair treatment in the workplace, and why the U.S. needs comprehensive immigration reform now.