Progressive Commentary Hour - 08.29.18

Ralph Nader is without a second one of the most influential Americans during the past several decades.  He is directly responsible for many of our most important bills that have provided protection to consumers against the onslaughts of corporate short-term profits and the Friedmanite free market, unregulated capitalism. landmark acts for Freedom of Information, Clean Water, Clean Air, Whistleblower Protection, Wholesome Food, and others that have been enacted by Congress.  A graduate of Princeton and Harvard universities, Ralph has been a presidential candidate for five elections, building his platform on consumer rights, humanitarian and civil rights efforts, environmental sanity, and democratic government.  Ralph’s most recent book just released this month is  “To the Ramparts: How Bush and Obama Paved the Way for the Trump Presidency and Why It Isnt too Late to Reverse Course” that outlines the key flaws in the former White House administrations, and both parties, have brought us to the edge we find ourselves today as a nation.  His website is Nader.org and CSRL.org

Joseph (Joe) Stillman has been a film director, producer, and writer for over 46 years. He has received one Emmy and several films were in in the running for Academy Awards. For the past 20 years, Joe has put his attention on independent films that focus on issues of the ethics of anti-war, human rights and correcting injustices.  His most recent film that premiered on July 27th in Los Angeles is "Citizen Clark: A Life of Principle" about the life and long legacy of Ramsey Clark, former attorney general under President Johnson and Assistant Attorney General under John F Kennedy, who exemplifies the kind of fearlessness and courage to stand up for truth against the enormous powers of government and influence. The film features Ramsey, Ralph Nader, Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, Frank Serpico and others.  The film's website is ALifeofPrinciple.com and has just been made available on Amazon. 

 

Frank Serpico is a former New York City Police Department officer who was the first officer in the department's history to whistleblow and testify about the widespread system corruption and payoffs in the NYPD that amounted to millions of dollars.  Al Pacino played Frank's roll in the 1973 film Serpico which was nominated for numerous awards including two Academy Award nominations.  For the past 20 plus years since moving back to the US from Europe, Frank continues to speak out against police brutality and corruption and civil rights injustices. He currently resides in upstate New York.

 

Mimi Clark Gronlund is the sister of former Attorney General Ramsey Clark. She is also the author of a biography of their father, Supreme Court Justice Tom C. Clark: A Life of Service, who was Attorney General under Harry Truman and later a Supreme Court Justice until 1967