Unanimous Dissent

Trump hammered Clinton on Trade, but couldn’t put to rest his birther past. The two Sams offer up a full recap of the first presidential debate. And, DCist Associate Editor Rachel Kurzius joins us to talk about a move to undo restrictive anti-choice amendments in Congress. She also dissects that now infamous photo of Michelle Obama hugging former President George W. Bush.Then later, the intelligence community has either seen the light or it’s playing a cruel joke. We’ll inform you of a new policy among spy agencies to honor whistleblowers who speak to truth to power.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are set to square off in the first presidential debate of the election. The two Sams chat with political satirists Lee Camp and John F. O’Donnell from the comedy news show Redacted Tonight, airing on RT America.Also, a rundown of some big stories that haven’t received enough attention, including a Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling that affirmed what minorities fear about police encounters. And, the latest on whistleblower Chelsea Manning’s conditions in prison.

President Obama has sold more arms to Saudi Arabia than any other president in US history. But some lawmakers are growing wary of the weapons shipments--particularly in light of alleged war crimes being carried out by the Saudi military in Yemen. Also, Charlotte is just the latest city on edge following the shooting death of another black man at the hands of police. But we take a look at a new effort launched this week to keep the police in check by requiring the community’s approval before certain surveillance technologies are deployed. We speak to the ACLU’s Chad Marlow on the initiative. And finally, it’s Friday, which means someone is going in our damn disgusting garbage candidates. We got seven nominees for you. Find out who gets punished for delivering the worst take of the week.

Trump proposes eliminating due-process for terror suspects causing liberals to freak out. They seem unaware that other Republicans have pushed this same idea, and the Obama administration has also flirted with it.Then, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) is setting up a showdown between Congress and the White House. But even if the legislative branch overrides the veto, 9/11 victims don’t seem likely to get justice, under the law. Just Security’s Steve Vladeck joins us to discuss the matter.And, one Democratic lawmaker has introduced legislation to force the Department of Homeland Security to designate voting machines as “critical infrastructure”--we discuss in a classified session.

Aides of Gov. Chris Christie are on trial this week for their role in the politically-motivated lane closure of the George Washington Bridge, and already Christie has been fingered for his role in the scandal.Congressional hearings can be boring as hell, but not when Senator after Senator is owning the head of a major bank. We breakdown Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf’s appearance before the Senate Banking Committee.Finally, the HRC Email story is leading officials to Reddit. Did one of Clinton’s IT staffers use the social networking website to seek advice on data scrubbing? It is a question you can expect from House Republicans in the next few months.

Both President Obama and Hillary Clinton pointed to the US bombing campaign against the Islamic State as a strategy to prevent terrorism stateside. And although their statements were more coherent than the GOP nominee, Donald Trump, they still miss the mark on what’s actually motivating domestic attacks.Also, DCist’s Rachel Kurzius stops by to discuss dealings in the nation’s capital--including a number of business that have popped up to cater exclusively to the lazy stoner. We also talk life imitating art as a comedy show about politics picks up an Emmy Award.

Donald Trump is trying to put his birther past behind him now that he’s tantalizingly close to winning the White House. The best way to do that might be by starting a new scandal. Also, what should Hillary Clinton do now that she’s losing voters to far-right Libertarian Gary Johnson. And we report on a bit of good news. Migrant farmworkers in Washington State won recognition of their union last week. We discuss it with Maru Mora Villalpando, communications coordinator of their union, Familias Unidas Por La Justicia.Finally, John Boehner is loving life right now: drinking wine, chain-smoking cigarettes and taunting his enemies on Twitter for their embarrassing failures. He’ll have less time to do that, however, now that he has taken a job as a tobacco lobbyist. At least he’s practicing what he preaches!

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is demanding that the Department of Justice Inspector General launch an internal investigation into why the DOJ never prosecuted people who were accused of wrongdoing in the run up to the financial meltdown. One of the accused is Bill Clinton’s former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin.Then, Wells Fargo could be cruisin’ for a bruisin’. Though the bank settled with the CFPB--for opening 2 million fake accounts, to pad performance numbers--the Justice Department said that it is looking into the matter. And it hasn’t taken criminal prosecution off the table.Finally, folks, Friday means it’s Garbage Can Day. If you’ve been frustrated by the Clinton campaign’s tendency to react with indignation to credible claims of unethical behavior, you might like this one.

There are reports that Trump doesn’t really want to win the White House. A new examination of his international business dealings around the world, however, does provide one reason why he might want to be victorious in November: to boost his family’s wealth.Also documents released to The Guardian appear to show Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker engaged in illegal campaign activity. We discuss the matter with the Campaign Legal Center’s Brendan Fischer. And later, We break down a government watchdog report that has some surprising news about at least one component of the national security state that is shrinking.

Alas, the Two Sams never received their invitation to the preview for Oliver Stone’s Edward Snowden movie. This could be evidence that the US Postal System is broken. Either way, the ACLU of Massachusetts’ Kade Crockford got a sneak peak, and talked to us about this movie--and the related campaign to have Snowden pardoned.Then, investigative reporter Greg Palast joins us to chat about how Republicans are trying to steal the election--again. Remember Florida 2000? It’s deja vu all over again--all around the country.Finally, John McCain is mad. While this might not be news, the subject of his anger is: the President is considering separating Cyber Command from the National Security Agency.

The White House issued a formal veto threat against recently-passed legislation that would allow the family of 9/11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for complicity in the attacks. Also, new reporting shows just active President Obama was in defending the CIA during its battle with the Senate investigators proving the agency’s use of torture. Then, Rachel Kurzius joins us to talk about Hillary Clinton’s collapse on Sunday, at the memorial service at Ground Zero. Is Clinton’s health now a legitimate campaign issue?Finally, the Federal Reserve proposes ways for Congress to strengthen oversight of the banking system. Recommendations included the revocation of special ownership privileges for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. We explain in the People’s Bulletin.

Republicans in Congress are already telegraphing their plans for a Clinton presidency. They will jam up the gears by launching endless investigations into her dealings. We explain why that might, actually, be a good thing. Then, the Two Sams get caught up on the Iran Deal. Can you blame us for not following it closely, though? It’s been non-story after non-story about the agreement, all year! Foreign Policy Journalist Derek Davison breaks down what has been rattling around the Right-Wing Echo Chamber for us.Finally, the rise of Wells Fargo, in the past few years, has been upheld as an example of Washington regulators winning the fight against reckless Wall Street firms. Unfortunately for that narrative, the bank was just caught fabricating over 2 million false accounts for customers--a fraud encouraged by compensation packages. Sound familiar?

The man in charging of getting Democrats elected to the Senate, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is sounding the alarm, claiming that if the election were held today, Republicans would retain their majority. Find out how an influx of oligarch cash may save the GOP in November. And, the two Sams details a Department of Justice Inspector General report knocking the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for how it conducts certain sting operations. Finally, “What is Aleppo?” Gary Johnson got roundly mocked for asking that, in response to a policy question on the Syrian Civil War flashpoint. Although he was nominated for our Garbage Can segment for that gaffe, someone else related to the story got the toss. Kick off your shoes and find out who, folks: Friday is Garbage Can Day!

A political contribution GOP nominee Donald Trump made to a Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in 2013 is receiving scrutiny in the media as charges fly that it was evidence of a quid pro quo. Then, updates on the fight over the Dakota Access Pipeline: Security Guards sicced dogs on protesters, Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein vandalized some oil company equipment, and a judge stops part of the pipeline ahead of a final decision. Steve Horn joins us again to talk about Republican operatives’ financial ties to the project, and Democrats’ wishy-washiness. And later we mourn the death of for-profit college giant ITT Tech by predicting which predatory corporation will be the next to shutter. Also, what’s the deal with Conservative Never-Trumpers getting stuck in elevators?

On this episode of "Unanimous Dissent," the two Sams examine the state of the election after Labor Day, and what Congress has on its plate in the waning months of 2016, including trying to avoid a government shutdown. Then, Prof. Richard Wolff joins the show to discuss Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s economic solutions--or the woeful lackthereof. “Trickle-up” is needed, he says, not “trickle down.”Finally, the Two Sams talk about one of the greatest dunks in Basketball History, and how they were reminded of it by the Twitter reaction to a recent Matt Yglesias’ blog post, entitled “Against Transparency.” Frederic Weis lives!

President Obama last week hailed Lake Tahoe as “sacred” to the Washoe, a nearby American Indian Tribe. So it’s awkward, then, that his administration refusing to back down from approving of the construction of a pipeline that goes through Sioux lands described in the same terms. We discuss the Dakota Access Pipeline in the latest edition of The Sludge Report.Also, journalist and filmmaker Robbie Martin is on to react to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s decision to list kratom as a Schedule 1 substance--deeming the much safer opioid alternative to be more dangerous than opioid medication that kills thousands of people every year.Then, we’re joined by the host of a self-described “Anarcho-Comedy show,” Street Fight Radio. We talk to Bryan Quinby about Conservative Facebook, Flat-Earthers, and, sadly, the damn election.

Good news, bad news in the courts. Bad news: medicinal marijuana users don’t have Second Amendment rights. Good News: Scalia being dead means North Carolina’ Voter ID law will remain voided.Also, Americans’ hopes of an alternative to ISP conglomerates took a blow this month, after a federal appeals court ruled against an FCC municipal broadband initiative, and then commission said it wouldn’t appeal. Chris Mitchell, the Director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at the Institute for Local Self Reliance explains to discuss the issue.And, it’s Friday, which means someone is going in the Garbage Can. Those vying for the dishonorable tossing include the Bloomberg Editorial Board, NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, and the Federal Elections Commission.

More hacked documents from within the Democratic Party were released by Guccifer 2.0. The latest batch includes a memo informing Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) staff how to handle the Black Lives Matter movement. Depressingly, it informs staff to not endorse any specific policy situations called for by the civil rights group. And Americans view labor unions more positively. That’s good news for non-union workers who, according to a study, would see their pay increase if more Americans were unionized. We talk with one of the co-authors of that study, Washington University Sociologist Jake Rosenfeld.Finally, the Fifteenth anniversary of 9/11 is around the corner. And--just in time for it--President Obama extended the State of Emergency declared by George W. Bush in September 2001. We discuss the extension in a Classified Session.

Hillary Clinton’s bid to paint Donald Trump as a unique evil already appears to be paying off….for Republicans. The Sams take a look at the Democrats’ chances of taking back the Senate, in the wake of Clinton’s “Alt-Right Speech.”Then, the FCC recently announced that it won’t be changing rules governing media ownership. While industry lobbyists decried the move, activists, too, had criticism of the FCC--for not analyzing the impact of rules on minority media ownership. Jessica Gonzalez from the National Hispanic Media Coalition joins us to discuss.Also, the FBI Director noted that the encryption debate has been put on ice until next year. And, a federal immigration agency is being sued for violating FOIA laws. Those stories coming up in a Classified Session.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is catching a lot of flack for his decision to not stand for the national anthem ahead of a recent preseason game. The two Sam’s defend the footballer, pointing out how creepy and vapid the nationalist recitations are anyway.Also, an extended People’s Bulletin to breakdown the latest news on Mylan, the Department of Homeland Security’s review of private prisons, and the downfall of another for-profit college. And later, there are, actually, a few shreds of good news in the latest Anthony Weiner sexting scandal. Find out what they are in Devil’s Advocate.