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Third Way
Democratic strategist Matt Bennett is co-founder and vice president for public affairs at Third Way, a nonprofit, nonpartisan strategy center for progressives.
PROFILE
Matt Bennett
Guest
FROM Matt Bennett
To the Point
Can the Democrats deliver 'a better deal?' Bill Clinton's winning campaigns for the White House operated on the basic premise that, "It's the economy, stupid." But last year, it was Donald Trump who appealed to working-class and rural voters — those the Democrats now call "left out and left behind" by economic changes. Their new slogan, " A Better Deal ," starts with increased wages, lower drug prices and the end of corporate mergers. Polls show Democrats are the party against President Trump, but to win elections they have to favor something, too. We hear what they want it to be.
To the Point
Democrats searching for the soul of their party Despite winning a majority of the popular vote, the Democrats lost the presidency in the Electoral College. But that's not all. Republicans have majorities in both houses of Congress and — since the Obama Administration took office — 900 Democratic state legislators have been ousted. The number of Democratic governors has dropped from 29 to 15. The Party's next big decision: who will Chair the Democratic National Committee? One leading candidate is Congressman Keith Ellison of Minnesota, an African American and a practicing Muslim. (L-R) Martin O'Malley, Keith Ellison and Howard Dean are three of the people being considered to head the DNC We hear two very different perspectives from Matt Bennett, Co-founder of Third Way, a strategy center for Centrist Democrats, and Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director of Democracy for America, a PAC with members allied with Senator Bernie Sanders.
To the Point
The Bernie Sanders Phenomenon: How Long Will It Last? Less than 15 months ago, Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders made a 10-minute announcement to a few reporters and hustled back into the Senate. Since then, millions have felt "the Bern," massive crowds have turned out, and Sanders has gotten enough votes to seriously contend for the Democratic nomination. Now he wants to define the issues and change the rules at this summer's convention. Will his supporters hold their noses and vote for Hillary Clinton? Can the campaign that came out of nowhere really become a "movement?"
To the Point
The Tragic Mathematics of Gun Violence Another lone gunman grabbed headlines last week in California, but so-called mass shootings rarely kill more than a dozen people. That's all too many, but it's a fraction of the 20 to 30 deaths every day from firearms -- 32,000 every year: the daily gun violence that does not receive saturation news coverage. Each rampage focuses attention on killers with mental illness. But most of the mentally ill are not violent, and most violent people are not mentally ill. Is there some way to reduce the carnage without violating the gun rights now recognized by the US Supreme Court?
To the Point
Obama Budget: New Consensus or Continued Gridlock? Partisanship has left the budget process in shambles since 2010, but this year the Republican Congress and Democrats in the Senate have both passed spending plans. Having refused to start the proceedings in February, as required by law, President Obama has waited to weigh in. Tomorrow, he's expected to take what Washington calls a "risk" by proposing social-program reductions that infuriate many Democrats. The White House calls that "conciliatory," and hopes that Republicans will agree. But they're likely to balk at the tax increases on which his cuts are conditioned. Social Security, Medicare and "the Sequester" are part of the package, with the deficit, tax reform and the debt limit looming on the horizon. We hear what to expect from the White House, with both parties already thinking about the mid-term elections next year.
Which Way, L.A.?
Obama Takes Executive Action on Gun Control The President today signed 23 executive orders and asked Congress for additional gun control measures—with an appeal to the public. "If parents and teachers, police officers, and pastors, if hunters and sportsman, if responsible gun owners, if Americans of every background stand up and say, enough. We’ve suffered too much pain, and care too much about our children to allow this to continue, then change will -- change will come," the president said. Today we’ll hear what’s in the executive orders the President signed and assess his chances on Capitol Hill, where the focus is on Democrats in the Senate.
To the Point
Obama Takes Executive Action on Gun Control The President today signed 23 executive orders and asked Congress for additional gun control measures—with an appeal to the public. "If parents and teachers, police officers, and pastors, if hunters and sportsman, if responsible gun owners, if Americans of every background stand up and say, enough. We’ve suffered too much pain, and care too much about our children to allow this to continue, then change will -- change will come," the president said. Today we’ll hear what’s in the executive orders the President signed and assess his chances on Capitol Hill, where the focus is on Democrats in the Senate.
Which Way, L.A.?
Obama and the GOP Republicans and the Obama White House draw the battle lines for a political war over domestic spending. In his State of the Union speech and his address to the US Chamber of Commerce, President Obama has reached out to conservatives—at the same time he promotes what he calls “investments” in a “new economy.” Republicans now control the House of Representatives—where all financial legislation has to originate. They are divided over how many billions of dollars they’ll try to cut from the spending plan the President will unveil next week.
To the Point
Obama and the GOP Republicans and the Obama White House draw the battle lines for a political war over domestic spending. In his State of the Union speech and his address to the US Chamber of Commerce, President Obama has reached out to conservatives—at the same time he promotes what he calls “investments” in a “new economy.” Republicans now control the House of Representatives—where all financial legislation has to originate. They are divided over how many billions of dollars they’ll try to cut from the spending plan the President will unveil next week.
To the Point
The Democratic Party: Stuck in the Mud? The Democrats will make history by nominating either the first black or the first woman to run for President of the United States, generating more political energy than America has seen for decades, but as one writer has it, " the Democrats are stuck in their own mud ." Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have enough votes and delegates to go all the way to the August convention , and the campaign gets nastier by the day. Is it all about who gets the power? What are the roles of race and gender? Is the party itself so divided that unity in November is at risk? Will all those new voters and Independents go to John McCain or just stay home?
Recommended
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
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.