'BradCast' 8/8/2017: (Author, political scientist David Faris of Roosevelt University)
b"During a press avail on the opioid epidemic, Donald Trump threatened 'fire and fury like the world has never seen'.\\xa0 Disturbingly, he was threatening North Korea in those comments, but he may as well have been talking about climate change without even realizing it. First up today, deadly dangerous saber-rattling is quickly ratcheting up following new UN sanctions against North Korea. The isolated nation responded with threats of 'physical action', Trump responded with promises of 'fire and fury', and North Korea responded in kind with a threat to attack Guam late today.\\xa0 Then, speaking of global threats, the New York Times published a leaked scientific report authored by members of 13 federal agencies, warning of quickly accelerating man-made global warming. The report, already approved by the National Academy of Sciences, is part of the U.S. National Climate Assessment, a statutorily mandated quadrennial report now awaiting final approval by the climate science-denying Trump Administration.\\xa0 We discuss the details of the report, why it was leaked, and the question of whether Trump, his EPA and other science-based federal agencies will sign off on it (or change it before they do). Then we're joined by author and political scientist David Faris of Roosevelt University, to discuss his recent article on 'Why the GOP Congress will be the most unproductive in 164 years'. He describes the increasing polarization within the GOP's own caucus, how it has served to hamstring the Trump/GOP agenda, as well as the reasons for the 'asymmetric polarization' among Republicans, while not nearly as much for Democrats. Finally, we mark today's passing of country/pop superstar Glen Campbell before we return again to a world now very much on edge -- a fact made even more troubling as Trump's approval ratings, even from his most ardent base voters, appears to be quickly eroding at the 200th day mark of his Presidency."