AmericasDemocrat.org Netcast - August 3rd, 2014

Published: Aug. 3, 2014, 2:18 p.m.

Ruy Teixeira on white working class voters … Mike Konczal on protecting the social safety net … and Bill Press interviews retiring Senator Tom Harkin, founder of 21st Century Democrats.

  

With just three months left before the midterm elections, the outlook for Democrats depends on how the white working class votes, says public opinion expert Ruy Teixeira. Economic analyst Mike Konczal says Democrats have to defend the social safety net because the evidence says voluntary help to the poor never works. And Bill Press interviews retiring Senator Tom Harkin, the founder of 21st Century Democrats.

 

Ruy Teixeira

Noted Democratic political analyst Ruy Teixeira says Democrats have an uphill battle in the 2014 elections – and maybe in 2016 -- unless the white working class can be turned around.  

http://americanprogress.org/about/staff/teixeira-ruy/bio/

 

Mike Konczal  

Whenever Republicans have tried to replace the social safety net with private support, it has failed. Economic analyst Mike Konczal offers a history of how Republicans want only the people they like to get government benefits.

http://rooseveltinstitute.org/people/fellows/mike-konczal

 

Tom Harkin

Bill Press and his guest, retiring Senator Tom Harkin, the founder of 21st Century Democrats.

 

Jim Hightower

Perry goes from callous to disgusting.