Episode

9/24 Jacob Hacker: Prosperity V the Austerity Fetishists

September 24, 2012

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

It's another Best of 2025 episode On today's program: Live-streamed on April 17, 2025 Emma is joined by writer, activist and professor Naomi Klein about her new essay The rise of end times fascism. Naomi points out the new form that right wing authoritarianism has taken in finding ways to ...
On today's Best of 2025, Sam and Emma speak with Kellie Carter Jackson, associate professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, to discuss her recent book We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance.   The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this ...
It's another Best of 2025 episode. On today's program: 8/11/25 - It's Monday! Sam and Emma are joined by Palestinian-Canadian emergency room physician, Dr. Tarek Loubani who is currently volunteering at Nasser hospital in Gaza. It’s a harrowing interview but we must bear witness to the terror ...