Episode

9/24 Jacob Hacker: Prosperity V the Austerity Fetishists

September 24, 2012
0% buffered00:00Current time00:00

Download MP3

Yale Professor Jacob Hacker explained his new project “Prosperity Economics”, why obsessing over the deficit right now is putting the cart before the horse, how low interest rates mean now is an excellent time to invest in infrastructure, eduction and human capital.

Why debt hysteria holds us back and how it is based on a fundamental misconception of the economic and political crises facing America. Sam loved the Prosperity agenda but wondered if ideological extremism would continue to make good policy impossible, while Hacker saw reason to hope for change in some public opinion polling.

On the Better half: former New York congressional Dan O’Connor candidate debated Sam on the legality of the federal government giving money to the states, Dan seemed convinced that the spending was unconstitutional but couldn’t explain how it was, we also learned from a caller in Georgia how American could be tax and debt free! Sam wheeled it back in by sharing some troubling news on the Grand Bargain and Mitt Romney is confused as to why airplane windows do not open.

Members make the Majority Report possible.  Please join us by becoming a MEMBER.  You can also show your support by clicking thru to the DONATE button for a one-time donation — anytime.  And don’t forget Sam is live every week day at noon. Thanks!

 

Past Episodes

Sam and Emma are joined by Rachel Cohen, lawyer formerly of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, to discuss the country’s largest law firms bending the knee to Donald Trump. First, they run through updates on today’s elections in Wisconsin and Florida, Trump’s attack on the US public ...
It’s Monday! Sam and Emma are joined by Dave Weigel, politics writer at Semafor, author of the "Americana" newsletter to preview the first round of major elections after the Trump/Musk regime’s DOGE overhaul. First, they run through updates on Trump’s tariffs, a return of stagflation, the ...
It's Friday! Sam and Emma welcome Heather 'Digby' Parton back to the program for a look at another very busy week in news. First, Sam and Emma run through updates on HHS’ mass firings, Dem lawmakers’ demand for the release of the abducted Tufts student, Trump’s tariffs, Trump’s targeting of ...