Oct 1, 2011 Show Archives/Podcasts Hour 1 – Hour 2 (Hours 3 & 4 are rebroadcast of show that aired July 23, 2011 with Eric Petersen)
Commentator and political analyst Franklin Carter joins Barb Adams this evening to discuss current events, including whether political debates serve their intended purpose and also the “Occupy Wall Street” event, which is spreading across the country.
Now that debate season is well under way, the American public needs to take a closer look at we evaluate our elected officials. Are political debates serving their intended purpose to enlighten and inform active, engaged citizens on issues affecting them as individuals and society as a whole? With recent debates being more about quick sound bites and grabbing attention via shouting matches and one-liners, it is difficult for voters to assess the candidates and determine who really wins in the debates.
Our current political system emphasizes and rewards polarization and dichotomy over informed decision-making. The “us” versus “them” rhetoric undermines the very nature of a cohesive society. We have allowed critical issues impacting all of us to be reduced to sound bites and “quick fix” ideologies. If this nation is to move forward in a positive way, we must demand that our leaders be leaders in every sense of the word, including being leaders of debate–striving to foster collaboration, civility, and critical thinking rather than focusing on further polarization. We must strive for a higher standard.
Franklin and Barb will also discuss the current “Occupy Wall Street” event, which is now spreading across the country. In addition, they will talk about the upcoming October2011.org event, “Stop the Machine! Create a New World!” event set to kick off in early October.
With 1 in 6 Americans now living at or below poverty level, discontent is growing in America. People don’t trust the government, Wall Street, or one another; and without trust, democracy cannot function. Our country is primed for class warfare and civil unrest, with the real possibility of crisis in the streets. Unfortunately, there are those who to seek to further their own agendas by promoting these types of planned civil unrest.
In the second half of the show (hours 3 and 4), Amerika Now will rebroadcast the first half of the show that aired live on July 23, 2011, with Eric Petersen on “Light and Liberty,” essays of Thomas Jefferson.
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