This call featured Kevin Danaher, co-founder of Global Exchange. He explored the need for the progressive movement to reapportion its activities from mostly oppositional, to increasingly "Propositional" as the country tires of failed policies domestically and abroad. Kevin's vast and broad experience with Global Exchange, Food First/the Institute for Food and Development Policy, the Institute for Policy Studies, teaching at American University and a myriad of issues gives him a unique capacity for articulating the components of our progressive agenda.

To listen to this conversation, click here. (right-click to download)

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The Intersections of Agriculture, Labor & Civil Rights

Featuring Dolores Huerta

We were honored to welcome Dolores Huerta, Co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, on Monday, November 14th. For this special program we broadcast and recorded segments in both Spanish and English. Kety Esquivel, Communications Director of Latinos for America (LFA) was our guest host.

To listen to the English language part of the conversation, click here. (right-click to download)
To listen to the Spanish language part of the conversation, click here. (right-click to download)

To subscribe to the Podcast, which will download both versions, use this link.

The Real Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Those Who Won't Give Them Up

Featuring Dr. Helen Caldicott

Dr. Helen Caldicott (bio), is perhaps the single most articulate and passionate advocate of citizen action to remedy the nuclear and environmental crises. Dr Helen Caldicott has devoted the last 35 years to an international campaign to educate the public about the medical hazards of the nuclear age and the necessary changes in human behavior to stop environmental destruction. Nominated for three positions on the Backbone Cabinet we are proud to provide this unique opportunity to the progressive community.

To listen you can either click here to listen (right-click to download) or subscribe using this link.

Land Recovery, Economic Development & Reversing Cultural Genocide

Featuring Winona LaDuke

Winona Laduke is an Anishinaabekwe (Ojibwe) enrolled member of the Mississippi Band Anishinaabeg who lives and works on the White Earth Reservations, and is the mother of three children. As Program Director of the Honor the Earth Fund, she works on a national level to advocate, raise public support, and create funding for frontline native environmental groups. She also works as Founding Director for White Earth Land Recovery Project, and Green Party candidate for Vice President in 1996 and 2000. She has been nominated for three positions on the Backbone Cabinet and we thought that on this 100th anniversary of Columbus Day, we would be providing a valuable service to the movement to elicit Ms. LaDuke's reflections on the relationship between land recovery, economic development, and reversing cultural genocide.

To listen you can either click here to listen (right-click to download) or subscribe using this link.

A Progressive Vision for Education

Featuring Jonathan Kozol

For the past thirty-five years, Jonathan Kozol (bio) has been an advocate for children. He points out the discrepancies that make our educational system so blatantly hypocritical. Kozol's purpose across all his work is to strive for a public call for social change, and to guide the cause once it has arisen. That's why he was nominated to the Backbone Cabinet. Click here to check out his amazing website.

To listen you can either click here to listen (right-click to download) or subscribe using this link.

Grassroots Strategy Day, Lobbying, and Demonstrations

Featuring Tim Carpenter

Tim Carpenter, (bio) joined us to report on one of the most exciting weekends in recent memory (for progressives). PDA had a contingent in the demonstrations Saturday and folks participating in the National Lobbying Day on Monday. Their Grassroots Strategy Day was chalked full of organizing potential, with multiple presentations and opportunities for shaping our approach to the next year. Tim shared his observations of the weekend's events and their relevance to those of us not able to attend.

To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Balancing National Security and Social Investment

Featuring Former Senator Gary Hart

Living Wages vs. Jobs, Battling Systemic Causes of Poverty

Featuring Ruth Rosenbaum

Ruth Rosenbaum, TC, Ph.D., (bio) is a nominee for Secretary of Labor on the Backbone Cabinet and founder and executive director of CREA: Center for Reflection, Education and Action, Inc. In the aftermath of Katrina, it should be apparent that global warming and mother nature were not the only forces causing widespread suffering. Poverty itself is a disaster everyday, here and abroad.

Unfortunately for our podcast listeners, we have been having technical difficulties with this podcast, so the audio files are not yet available.

Alternatives to the Wal-Mart Economy

Featuring John Cavanagh

John Cavanagh (bio) has been Director of the Institute for Policy Studies since 1998. Besides being a nominee for Secretary of Commerce on the Backbone Cabinet, John has worked as an international economist for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (1978-1981), the World Health Organization (1981-1982), and directed IPS's Global Economy Project from 1983-1997. He is the co-author of 10 books and numerous articles on the global economy. His most recent work is the second edition of A Field Guide to the Global Economy which came out in May 2005.

We were also joined by Aimee Tavares, National Field Director for WalMart Watch

To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.


After listening, feel free go to add your comments on the content at the Backbone Campaign by clicking here.

Building Economic Power in Our Local Communities

Featuring Judy Wicks

Judy Wicks (bio) is owner and founder of Philadelphia's 22-year-old White Dog Cafe, and is a national leader in the local, living economies movement.ý Besides being a nominee for Secretary of Commerce on the Backbone Cabinet, she is co-founder and co-chair of both the national Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), and the local Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN). She is also president of the White Dog Cafe Foundation, dedicated to building a local living economy in the Philadelphia region.

To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

On Articulating A Progressive Foreign Policy

Featuring Dr. Craig Eisendrath

Craig Eisendrath (bio) is presently a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and an adjunct professor at Temple University. With a widely varied career, he has been a diplomat, college dean, and director of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, as well as co-founder of the National Constitution Center. With a Harvard Ph.D., he has published books in philosophy, education and foreign affairs. His latest book (2004), co-written with Melvin A. Goodman is entitled "Bush League Diplomacy: How the Neoconservatives are Putting the World At Risk."

To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Fight for Separation of Church and State and Still Turn Red States Blue

The Impossible Will Take a Little While
Featuring Paul Loeb

Paul Loeb (bio) has tirelessly written and lectured on movement, culture and citizenship, focusing on the efforts of ordinary people to reclaim their democracy. His newest book , The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear (Basic Books, 2004), was named by The History Channel and The American Book Association as their #3 political book of Fall 2004 and winner of the Nautilus Award for the best spirituality & social change book of 2004.

To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Building a Sustainable Economy

Featuring Hunter Lovins

Hunter Lovins, is a world-renowned leader in sustainability policy and strategies. She is co-founder and former CEO of The Rocky Mountain Institute. Ms. Lovins founded and is now president of Natural Capitalism, Inc. a company that helps organizations become more profitable and ecologically sustainable.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Creating a Progressive Energy Policy, Part II

Featuring Ralph Cavanagh

Ralph Cavanagh, besides being nominated on the Backbone Cabinet for Secretary of Energy, he is a Heinz Award recipient an is a senior attorney at the Natural Resources defense Council (NRDC) and co-director of the Energy Program. He serves on the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board and is Vice Chair of the Coalition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies (CEERT), which unites representatives of the environmental, energy efficiency and renewable energy communities.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Resolution of Inquiry - The Downing Street Minutes

Featuring Sheila Jackson Lee

The Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee (D) Texas, 18th, a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee joined us from DC, to discuss the relevance and potential consequences of the recently discovered Downing Street Minutes.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Building the Progressive Movement

Featuring David Cobb

David Cobb, the Green Party's candidate for President in 2004, talks with us about building the progressive movement.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Building the Progressive Movement

Featuring Medea Benjamin and Tim Carpenter

Medea Benjamin, founder of Code Pink and director of Global Exchange, and Tim Carpenter, director of Progressive Democrats of America each have been leading the way for more than 30 years. They are two of the most dynamic and creative organizers in America today, fearlessly opposing the regressive policies of this and former administrations. Our conversation with them centered on the tactics and the future of our burgeoning progressive movement.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Crafting a Constructive Partnership,
A Progressive Approach to the United Nations, Part 2

Featuring Phyllis Bennis,
as Progressive Ambassador to the UN

Phyllis Bennis (bio), a leading nominee for Progressive Ambassador to the UN in the Backbone Cabinet is a fellow at both the Institute for Policy Studies and the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam. She has been a writer, analyst and activist on Middle East and UN issues for many years. While working as a journalist at the United Nations during the run-up to the 1990-91 Gulf War, she began working on U.S. domination of the UN, and stayed involved in work on Iraq sanctions and disarmament, and later U.S. war and occupation in Iraq. In 1999 Phyllis accompanied a group of congressional aides to Iraq to examine the impact of U.S.-led economic sanctions on humanitarian conditions there.
Denis Halliday, author of the UN oil for food program who resigned due to the human toll of sanctions, as well as will be joining the Conversation with Phyllis Bennis.
Also joining us on the call were Bert Sacks who's been to Iraq many times to deliver humanitarian aid, and Dick Blakeney, President of the United Nations Association of Seattle.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Crafting a Constructive Partnership, A Progressive Approach to the United Nations
Gayle Smith is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Gayle Smith has spent most of her career in international affairs in the field, based in Africa for almost 20 years as a journalist and advisor to non-governmental organizations. Her areas of expertise include African affairs, economic development, complex political emergencies, crisis prevention and post-conflict management, failed states and transnational threats.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Trading for Justice,
Progressive Strategies on Trade and Globalization

Featuring: Lori Wallach, a 'most favored' nominee on the Backbone Cabinet, as U.S. Trade Representative, Director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, a founding board member of the International Forum on Globalization, and co-author of Whose Trade Organization? A Comprehensive Guide to the WTO. Listen to Ms. Wallach amazingly clear and concise summary of the modern history of trade agreements, the frightening expansion of their scope, and the threat they pose to national sovereignty and democracy.
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Dennis Kucinich, the recent progressive candidate for the Democratic Party Presidential Nomination and Franklin (Chuck) Spinney, a retired Pentagon Defense Strategy analyst, discuss crafting a new National Defense Policy. A very interesting discussion.
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Daniel Kammen is a Professor in the Energy and Resources Group Energy and Resources Group (ERG), Professor of Public Policy in the Goldman School of Public Policy and is Professor of Nuclear Engineering in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Click here to read more.
To listen you can either click here to download or subscribe using this link.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. Executive Director of TransAfrica Forum speaks about "Visualizing a Neo-Rainbow" during the first Conversations with the Cabinet conference call. Click here to read more.
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Click here to download or subscribe using this link.