American Politics

Longtime Harper’s Editor Lewis Lapham on The Flaws of Journalism and Excesses of The American Ruling Class

March 27, 2013UncategorizedAmerica, American Politics, author, climate, Clinton, Culture, editor, George Bush, Harper's Magazine, history, Interview, Ira Glass, Journalism, Lapham, Lapham's Quarterly, Lewis Lapham, manhattan, Mark Twain, media, Philosophy, politics, Radio, ruling class, San Francisco, Society, This American Life, writer, Yalekevincaners Leave a comment

Lewis Lapham editor of Lapham’s Quarterly

Whenever anyone happens to mention the name Lewis Lapham – the renowned American writer, and social thinker – chances are that a reference to Harper’s Magazine isn’t too far away. Over the course of the almost 30 years he spent in the role as editor of the influential magazine, Lapham and Harper’s became virtually synonymous.

Although he left his day-to-day role at Harper’s in 2006, the magazine still bears many of his distinctive marks; from its layout, to the style of writing – even the Index and Readings sections which were created in a 1984 redesign he spearheaded – Lapham in many ways shaped the magazine into what it is today. And although the circulation of Harper’s has never rivaled that of more mainstream publications, an impressive number of people, from Ira Glass to Thomas Frank, credit Lapham and the magazine with influencing their journalistic sensibilities.

Harper’s Magazine

But it’s not just for his role as an editor that Lapham become widely known. He is also by many considered one of the most prescient voices in America today. For decades through his columns and books, Lapham, with sharp wit and fierce independence, has been deconstructing the social-cultural landscape of America – traits which have seen him compared with both H.L Menken, and Mark Twain.

He came from a privileged background –attending both Yale and Cambridge, but Lapham has never been shy in criticizing what he sees as the excess, greed and short-sightedness of the ruling elite. He vocally argued for the impeachment of George W. Bush for launching the Iraq War, was openly critical of the Clinton’s, and regularly has taken to task the mainstream media and press for their subservience to power and unwillingness to tackle the important issues.

Lapham’s Quarterly

While he left Harper’s in 2006, Lapham has by no means slowed down. Having long been passionate about the wisdom that can be gleaned from examining history, he immediately went to work founding and editing Lapham’s Quartery a unique publication that takes an issue or topic of current interest and concern—War, Religion, Money, – and examines it in a historical context using the voices and events of the past to bring the topic to light.

I spoke to Lewis Lapham at his office in downtown Manhattan.

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Political Activist & Intellectual Noam Chomsky on Confronting Reality and Speaking Out

March 24, 2013UncategorizedActivist, American Politics, Chomsky, Climate Change, Conversation, dissident, father of modern linguistics, Foreign Policy, Interview, Keystone XL, Linguistics, MIT, Noam Chomsky, noam chomsky on climate change, Obama, Occupy, Professor, professor noam chomsky, Vietnam War, young noam chomskykevincaners Leave a comment

This week, an episode we’re very excited about- an interview with renowned public intellectual Noam Chomsky!

From his activism during the Vietnam War and overcoming self-deceit, to the Keystone Pipeline and the looming threat of climate change.

The Public interviewing Political Activist and MIT Professor Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky is widely considered the most important intellectual alive today. In the academic world he is heralded as “father of modern linguistics” thanks to ground breaking theory of syntactic structure which revolutionized the field, as well as for his significant contributions to disciplines from psychology to computer science.

But to ordinary people around the world he better known and admired for his willingness to speak truth to power. For decades he has served as a constant thorn in the side of the U.S. elite and political establishment, delivering lectures, publishing books and writing articles that take on everything from U.S. foreign policy, and state capitalism to distortion in the news media.

Young Noam Chomsky

In the 1960’s he was one of the most prominent figures opposing the Vietnam War and became heavily involved in resistance efforts, leading a tax revolt against the state, and helping students avoid the draft. But his activism didn’t stop with the end of the war, And throughout the 70’s 80s and 90s Chomsky continued devoting his time and speaking out on political issues ranging from the U.S. overthrowing democratic governments Latin America, to corporate attacks on the working class.

And it continues right up to today. He has rallied against the Obama administration for their extrajudicial use of drones strikes and policy of targeted assassinations, and he continues to warn of the environmental and climate crisis currently facing humanity.

He has published upwards of 100 books, and despite his age, he doesn’t seem to show any signs of slowing dow. At 84 he maintains a gruelling schedule, regularly traveling around the world to for political talks and lectures, writing a constant stream of articles, and sitting down for hundreds of interviews a year.

For our interview, I sat down with Noam Chomsky at his office at MIT in Boston.

If you’re interested in checking out more of Noam Chomsky’s articles and interviews a great resource is www.chomsky.info

Journalist and Political Force Chris Hedges on The Corporate Coup D’Etat

March 24, 2013UncategorizedActivism, America, American Politics, Chris Hedgs, days of destruction days of revolt, inequality, Interview, Joe Sacco, Journalism, Obama, Occupy, social justice, Wall Streetkevincaners Leave a comment

This week, a conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, and outspoken public intellectual Chris Hedges on his latest book Days of Destruction Days of Revolt (co-authored with Joe Sacco) and his life spent fighting for political and social justice.

Journalist, writer, and outspoken public intellectual Chris Hedges

Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt the new graphic book by Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco

Linda McQuaig on “The Trouble With Billionaires” and Early Influences

March 22, 2013Uncategorized2008, American Politics, banking, canadian politics, economy, financial crisis, income inequality, inequality, Interview, Journalist, Linda McQuaig, social justice, The Trouble with Billionaireskevincaners Leave a comment

Journalist Linda McQuaig has been writing and speaking out about issues of economic and societal inequality ever since she first started working as a reporter in the 70s.

She has authored nine books on matters of politics and economics. And although these aren’t normally thought of as the most compelling subjects for a good book, thankfully for us her writing more like a true-life detective story than an academic paper.

Without oversimplifying or glossing over important details, she spells the practical, but largely opaque ways, in which the political and economic interests of the wealthy are able to shape government policy in their favour- in everything from the tax code, to business regulations.

In her most recent book The Trouble With Billionaires she details in compelling form some of the negative social and economic consequences of a highly unequal distribution of wealth. I sat down with Linda in her Toronto home to discuss The Trouble with Billionaires, her life as a journalist, and some of her early political influences.