AmericasDemocrat.org Netcast - January 12th, 2014

Published: Jan. 12, 2014, 5:42 p.m.

Republicans say the war on poverty has been a failure. Are they right? We have an expert who says no. Did the Tea Party weaken itself with the budget shutdown? We have an expert who says, “maybe.” And Bill Press interviews Congressman Tim Ryan.

Republicans like Marco Rubio and Eric Cantor say the War on Poverty, now 50 years in the waging, has been an utter failure. But analyst Chris Wimer says statistics show that without government programs, many more Americans would be poor today. Congress is back in session and professor Alan Abramowitz says it’s unclear how much of a grip the Tea Party retains on Republican lawmakers. And Bill Press interviews Congressman Tim Ryan about the House agenda. Don’t expect much.

Christopher Wimer

Fifty years ago, Lyndon Johnson announced the War on Poverty. Since then, the poverty rate has dropped from 26 percent to 16 percent. Social scientist Christopher Wimer says the evidence shows that the federal programs worked.

http://cupop.columbia.edu/people/christopher-wimer

Alan  Abramowitz

President Obama’s re-election drove the Tea Party crazy, says political science professor Alan  Abramowitz. Now he says it is unclear with the Tea Party agitators in Congress will continue to drive the Republican leadership crazy.

http://www.democracyjournal.org/31/republican-leaders-two-choices.php

Tim Ryan

Bill Press and his guest,  Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio, Discuss the House agenda.  

timryan.house.gov/‎

Jim Hightower

Act 2 of the Ford & Radel Show.