author, 'The Influence Machine'
Investigative reporter and a member of the editorial board at the New York Daily News; author of The Influence Machine: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Capture of American Life
PROFILE
Alyssa Katz
Guest
FROM Alyssa Katz
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The Influence Machine Last week, The New York Times revealed that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, America’s largest trade group, has been fighting for big tobacco worldwide. According to our guest, it’s just one example of how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has become a political juggernaut for many corporate causes that may go against the public good. What was once a low-key business advocacy group is now a massive lobbying organization with interests around the world.
Which Way, L.A.?
Homeownership and the Fading American Dream In the aftermath of the housing market collapse and the sub-prime mortgage scandal, President Obama promised help for millions of homeowners trying to avoid foreclosures. That hasn't happened. We hear what's going wrong and what it could mean for the future.
To the Point
Homeownership and the Fading American Dream Since the Great Depression, the US government has encouraged home ownership, most conspicuously with the homeowner's tax deduction. In the aftermath of the housing market collapse and the sub-prime mortgage scandal, President Obama promised help for millions of homeowners trying to avoid foreclosures. Now six million Americans are facing foreclosure, but new federal programs may be doing more harm than good. Instead of help with mortgage modification or refinance, desperate homeowners face a blizzard of paperwork and official errors with little or no supervision. Is homeownership all that it's cracked up to be? If not, what are the consequences for the economy and a cornerstone of American culture?
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To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.