Episode

1/8 Julian E. Zelizer: The Fierce Urgency of Now: the Battle for the Great Society

January 8, 2015

Princeton Professor Julian Zelizer, explains what motivated his new book The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society. Why Congress was also broken during the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. How liberals were stifled on civil rights, Medicare and education. Why obstruction was worse in the 1960s. Why the importance of Lyndon Johnson’s political skills may be overstated. Why  vibrant liberal movement allowed for all of the progress in the 1960s. Why the American system is stacked towards conservatism and the political moment that Johnson recognized. Find out why fear mongering over the deficit has always been a effective tactic against liberalism. Also what to make of the Controversy over the film Selma.

On The Fun Half: Bill Donohue of the The Catholic League expresses sympathy for the Paris terrorist attacks. Charlie Hepdo will publish next week and what we know about the attackers. Juan Cole’s theory of why the attack happened. Fox’s Shannon Bream wants to know what do when terrorists aren’t “the typical color”? Debating the merits of  “freedom”. Don Lemon asks a Muslim human rights lawyer if he supports ISIS. Also your calls and IMs.

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