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The Brian Lehrer Show

Tuesday, September 18, 2007
  • Post Katrina rubble (chuckp/flickr)
    Post Katrina rubble in New Orleans on Oct 25, 2005 (chuckp/flickr)

    Capitalizing on Disaster?

    Naomi Klein discusses her new book “The Shock Doctrine,” a theory on how right-wing politicians exploit disasters like Katrina and 9/11 to further conservative economic policies. Also, we get reaction to Hillary Clinton’s health care speech, get an update on Brooklyn's Surrogate Court Judge elections today, look at what Hurricane Katrina can teach us about race and class, and find out where our listeners discuss politics.

Hillary's Health Care Plan

Dr. Jeanne Lambrew, former senior health analyst at the National Economic Council under President Clinton, associate professor of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

Judging the Primary

Jonathan Hicks, political reporter for the New York Times, reports on the one race people are paying attention to in this off-year primary election: The Brooklyn Surrogate's Court judge.

Learning from Katrina

Margaret Crocco, professor of social studies and education at Teachers College, Columbia University and Bob Herbert, New York Times columnist and author of Promises Betrayed: Waking up from the American Dream, (Times Books, 2005) explain how they use the Hurricane Katrina aftermath to teach about race and class in the U.S.

Promises Betrayed is available for purchase at Amazon.com

Professor Crocco's webpage
Teaching the Levees website

Capitalizing on Disaster

Naomi Klein, Canadian anti-globalism activist and author of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism (Metropolitan Books, 2007) says corporate capitalism exploits catastrophes (like Katrina, 9/11, the tsunami) to gain control of markets.

The Shock Doctrine is available for purchase at Amazon.com

Event
Book signing at Barnes and Noble in Chelsea (located on 6th Avenue between 22nd & 23rd Streets), Tuesday September 18th at 7pm

Open Phones: Where Do You Talk Politics?

It's not just the barber shop, the office, the local bar, or the gym - where do you and your friends discuss politics? Call in or leave a comment.

Uncommon Indicators

The Brian Lehrer Show

The Brian Lehrer Show wants to hear how the economy is affecting the little things in your daily life. Share your stories and photos of the downturn.

Cast your vote for our video contest semi-finalists.

The Rocky Road Ahead

The Brian Lehrer Show

Ray Young, the chief financial officer of General Motors, talks about GM’s bankruptcy.

Then, Damon Lester, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, and Greg Williams, former owner of the recently closed Huntington Chevrolet in Huntington Station, NY., discusses the effect GM’s bankruptcy has had on dealerships and their employees.

Tweet If You Use Twitter

The Brian Lehrer Show

Farhad Manjoo, Slate's technology columnist and the author of True Enough: Learning To Live in a Post-Fact Society talks about what Twitter means and how different groups use it.

What's your take on Twitter? How do you use it? Comment below!

Don't Say That, Literally

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John Flansburgh of the band They Might Be Giants discusses the running list the band keeps of "things we can no longer say." (a few examples: "my bad" "don't go there" "one hundred and ten percent" and "voted off the island")

What would be on your list of banned words or phrases? Comment below!

From Denmark with Love

The Brian Lehrer Show

Jesper Grunwald, senior managing editor with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, talks about the Danish economy, biking to work, and why the Danes are allegedly the happiest people in the world.

Squatting, Then and Now

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As former squats in the East Village make the transition to coops, making homes from abandoned housing is again an issue. Andrew Reicher executive director of Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, Frank Morales an Episcopal priest involved in East Village/Lower East Side squatting and homelessness activism since the late '70s, and Rob Robinson, a leader of the Housing Campaign of Picture the Homeless, discuss the return of squatting.

Video Picks

The Brian Lehrer Show

Check out some recent video clips of interviews with guests and Brian Lehrer's weekly Web video picks.