Episode

3/19 Mike Konczal: The Voluntarism Fantasy

March 19, 2014

Roosevelt Institute fellow Mike Konczal, explains the conservative myth of pre New Deal and Great Society America, the delusion that civil society took care of poverty, why the state had always played a role in addressing poverty, why before New Deal government policy was demeaning to the poor and favorable to the corporate sector, how social insurance supports risk, why Churches were forced by the State to provide services to the poor, the role of “automatic stabilizers” in saving the economy from going into full depression, why charitable giving falls during economic downturns, why the right pushes the volunteerism myth, how Harry Truman defined charity and why the left needs to be more bold.

On The Fun Half: more reactions to Ken Langone’s insane Nazi and inequality comments, declining religion leads to more libertarians? Republicans target young voters with hilarious and awful new ads, the Sam Seder Libertarian Learning Annex returns and your calls and IMs.

Also take a look here for all of the links for today’s show here!

And keep the conversation going on our morning thread

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. Thanks

 

 

Past Episodes

It's News Day Tuesday on the Majority Report On today's program: Trump's FCC pulls Stephen Colbert's interview with Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas, James Talarico citing the Equal Time Rule. This comes just the day before early voting begins for the primary in Texas. Rep. ...
It's Fun Day Monday on the Majority Report On today's program: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at the Munich Security Conference. AOC critiques Mark Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum and emphasizes the importance of working-class centered politics in resistance to ...
It's Casual Friday on the Majority Report On today's program: Trump is presented a trophy by a coal CEO after he ends regulations on greenhouse gasses. David Dayen, executive editor of the American Prospect, joins Sam to recap the week's news. Topics include the looming shutdown over ...