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- [00:00]
Ralph Nader
Nella, Barbara, dark Star Girl at KPFK 90.7 FM, Los Angeles.
- [00:19]
David Feldman
You're listening to KPFK 90.7 FM, Los Angeles.
- [00:26]
Steve Skrovan
This is Chris Hedges and you're listening.
- [00:28]
Ralph Nader
To the Ralph Nader Radio Hour.
- [00:31]
David Dayen
Stand up. Stand up. You've been sitting way too long.
- [00:39]
Steve Skrovan
Welcome to the Ralph Nader Radio Hour. My name is Steve Scrovan, along with my co host, David Feldman. Hello there, David.
- [00:46]
Ralph Nader
Hello, Steve.
- [00:48]
Steve Skrovan
And our producer, Hannah Feldman. Hello, Hannah.
- [00:52]
Danny Noble
Hello, Steve.
- [00:54]
Steve Skrovan
And the man of the hour, Ralph Nader. Welcome back, Ralph.
- [00:58]
David Feldman
Welcome to our listeners.
- [01:00]
Steve Skrovan
More than 40 days into a government shutdown, the Democrats appeared to be winning the PR war. The American public is blaming the Trump administration for the shutdown. The judiciary had ordered Trump to pay out SNAP benefits and the Democrats swept last Tuesday's elections. Everything seemed to be going their way. Then suddenly, seven Democrats and one independent lost their nerve and decided to end the government shutdown with no meaningful concessions from the Republicans other than a pinky promise to vote on their biggest priority, extending the Obamacare subsidies, a vote which Democrats would surely lose. What were they thinking? To help us solve this mystery, we welcome David Dayan, executive editor of the American Prospect, whose latest article is entitled the Most Frustrating Thing about the Shutdown Cave Up. Next, we'll be joined by Danny Noble, strategic campaigns organizer, Jewish Voice for Peace. She's going to talk to us about congressional efforts to block weapons shipments to Israel and Jewish Voice for Peace's BDS and bond divestment campaigns, as well as the state of the ceasefire in Gaza, which doesn't seem to have ceased much fire. The killing continues. Finally, we'll welcome back friend of the show and original Nader's raider, Sam Simon, to discuss his new memoir, Dementia man and his journey living with early stage Alzheimer's. As always, somewhere in the middle. We'll check in with our indispensable corporate crime reporter, Russell Mokhiber. But first, why did the Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? David.
- [02:32]
Ralph Nader
David Dayen is the executive editor of.
- [02:34]
Steve Skrovan
The American Prospect, an independent political magazine.
- [02:37]
Ralph Nader
That aims to advance liberal and progressive goals through reporting and analysis and debate. His work has appeared in the Intercept, HuffPost, the Washington Post, and more.
- [02:49]
Steve Skrovan
He is the author of Chain of Title, How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall.
- [02:54]
Ralph Nader
Street's Great Foreclosure, Fraud and Monopolized Life.
- [02:59]
Steve Skrovan
In the Age of Corporate Power. Welcome back to the Ralph Nader Radio Hour.
- [03:04]
David Dayen
David Dayen, thank you so much for having me.
- [03:07]
David Feldman
Welcome indeed, David. Let's lay the basis for your critique here. Exactly what did the Affecting Democrats join with the Republican majority in the Senate to pass. Right.
- [03:20]
David Dayen
So they passed a. What is called a continuing resolution to fund the government. This includes funding at current levels for nine of the 12 appropriations bills that have to be passed every year. The other three are in what in congressional parlance is called a minibus of a bipartisan funding agreement that will last for the entire fiscal year. In addition to that, the main ask of Democrats during the shutdown was to extend these subsidies for the Affordable Care act that make premium support for individuals who are on that program. And instead of getting anything tangible, they got a promise that for a future vote on extending those subsidies. So nothing really tangible there at all. The last thing that I would add, and there are a couple others, but the last thing I would say is the Democratic defectors got a prohibition on any firing of federal workers. Essentially, the bill says no money that's put forward in this bill can go to conducting the firing of federal workers. And in fact, workers who were fired during the shutdown have to be reinstated and given back pay.
- [04:40]
David Feldman
Well, how about some numbers here? How many people would have been affected under the Obamacare provision? 20 million or what?
- [04:48]
David Dayen
Oh, yeah, we're talking about millions. Probably close to 20 million people who would have been affected in terms of having their health insurance premiums go up. It's different for different populations, depending on their income. The Congressional Budget Office looked at this and said if these subsidies aren't extended, 4 million people would simply not be able to afford health insurance anymore and would go without it. So it is a significant issue. But what Democrats have received as a condition of agreeing to fund the government is really nothing more than sort of a pinky swear that Republicans in the Senate will give them a vote. There's no guarantee that the House would vote on it, and there's certainly no guarantee that Donald Trump would sign anything that comes out of that process.
- [05:36]
David Feldman
Well, the first step is that the agreement in the Senate preserved the Obamacare subsidies only until the end of this year.
- [05:44]
David Dayen
Yeah. So right now the subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025. So people looking at their 2026 health insurance estimates on the Affordable Care act exchanges are, are seeing these massive increases, an average of over 75% in terms of what they would have to pay. So the current policy is that that expires at the end of 2025. Democrats wanted to extend it at least through 2026, if not make it permanent. But the defectors really only got a promise to hold a vote at some time. In the future.
- [06:19]
David Feldman
Well, all this was made possible by the defection of several senators, Democratic senators, who joined the Republicans to reach the critical number of 60 votes favoring the largely the Republican position in the Senate. Yeah, you're very critical of the defectors. Of course, some of them are very hard pressed by their constituents back home. Senator Kaine of Virginia is facing some 300,000 furloughed federal workers in Virginia, and he said that he defected to get them back on the job with back pay. Do they have an argument there?
- [06:57]
David Dayen
Well, I think it is notable that this provision blocking Trump from firing federal workers, at least for the duration of this continuing resolution, which lasts until January 30th, I think that is notable. However, it should be said that a federal court order blocked those firings that happened during the shutdown already. And my real critique is that the prohibition on firing federal workers wasn't extended to a prohibition on withholding funds that are appropriated by Congress, which is something Trump is doing. It wasn't added to a prohibition on rescinding funds, which the Trump administration has done. It isn't a prohibition on dismantling federal agencies, which the Trump administration is trying to do.
- [07:47]
Ralph Nader
So.
- [07:47]
David Dayen
So if Congress is saying we have the power of the purse and we have the ability to dictate to the president what he is able to do or not do with federal funding, then why not go the whole way? To me, that was the entire purpose of the shutdown, is to stop the president from ignoring Congress and initiating his own prerogatives as it relates to to government funding. It was really making Congress completely irrelevant in the process, which they constitutionally are supposed to dictate. And it maddens me that Congress clearly knew how to preserve its priorities. That's what the prohibition on firing federal workers is all about. But that was only to get Tim Kaine's vote. Under this bill that's going to be signed into law by the president. The president can sign it and simply continue to withhold funds, as he has been doing with the sort of imprimatur of the Supreme Court, continue to rescind funds, continue to try to dismantle agencies. The only prohibition is on firing workers, and that ends on January 30th. So I'm not sure exactly what Democrats and certainly the institution of Congress got out of this deal.
- [09:09]
David Feldman
Well, I can say probably that the defecting Democrats that joined with the Republicans are saying that the Republicans can be defeated in 2026 Russian elections on the issue of health care prices. So if the Republicans in a few weeks vote to abolish the Obama subsidies. That's going to put them in deep trouble with millions and millions of Americans, including in the red and blue states, who will see these 70%, 80% hikes in their health insurance premiums and leaving millions without the ability to afford any health insurance premiums and going without coverage. What about that argument that the Republicans are falling into a trap here?
- [09:53]
David Dayen
I agree with you, Ralph, but I think that was also going to be the case whether Democrats made that the focus of the shutdown or not. People were getting these notices, they were getting contacted saying that their health insurance was going to go up by 75%, 80%, in some cases 100 or 200%. That was all going to happen anyway. And Republicans were going to be behind the eight ball anyway because of the nature of the way the subsidy enhancement was set up, where it was going to expire at the end of this year. This debate was going to play out. It didn't need the shutdown in order for that to happen. Now, politically, it's certainly good for Democrats to raise the salience of this, but I would argue when millions of people are getting bills in the mail for massive spikes in their health insurance, that salience was already going to be there. And so to me, the purpose of a government funding bill and using your leverage is to say, why would I enter into a deal with Donald Trump who's only going to break the deal? And nothing in this compromise, nothing in what the defecting Democrats have passed constrains Trump in any way from continuing to break the deal.
- [11:08]
David Feldman
Well, the overall political picture is good for the Democrats. I mean, Trump's dropping in the polls and one poll just dropped below 40%. And he's going to be dropping more in just one front page issue. The New York Times on November 10, one headline said more tax breaks for the wealthy. Internal Revenue Service quietly retracting limits on loopholes on the super rich. That's not going to get them higher in the polls. He's also pushing a two headed coin where he is on both sides of this coin. They both come up Trump, he is telling states and retailers to not provide food stamps to 42 million Americans on food stamps. So are you arguing that his position is getting weaker and weaker? You think the Democratic leaders, Chuck Schumer in the Senate, Hakeem Jeffries in the House, have the leverage now to do what you would want them to do and tell our listeners what you would want them to do?
- [12:09]
David Dayen
Well, I agree with you that Trump is in a bad position Politically and in fact, every time Trump has been in power and there's been a national election, he's lost it. He lost the midterm elections in 2018. He lost the presidential election in 2020. He lost the off year elections in 2017 and 2019. He lost just last week the elections in 2025. He is not equipped to have an agenda that appeals to the American people when he's in power. And so I firmly agree that, that Democrats are likely to do well in the elections next year, as they just did. The one thing that can stop that is completely punching your base in the face after you succeed politically in backing Republicans into a corner. And I think there is a lot of anger with the Democratic leadership for giving in to an individual who was so battered politically and kind of flailing about as far as what needs to be done. I mean, that's a question really for the Democratic leadership. They appear to want to extend these health insurance subsidies, but as you know, those subsidies really just go to the insurance companies and they kind of enable insurance companies to continue to raise their prices because people don't feel it in the same way if they're insulated in some way by the subsidies. I think we need a full rethink of health care, obviously, but. And a rethink on a number of fronts. But the time where Democrats have a program that they really want to put forward for the American people and deliver tangible results hasn't fully happened yet. We'll see what happens at the state and municipal level with the victories last week, particularly in New York City by the mayor elect Mamdani, and we'll see what he's able to do on what is, I think the number one issue for Americans everywhere, which is the cost of living, has just gotten out of control.
- [14:12]
David Feldman
Well, it seems like the Democrats keep pulling their punches here. Almost every week. Trump is calling for judges to be impeached to rule against him. He even calls for members of Congress to be impeached. He has a rather limited understanding of the Constitution. And the Democrats aren't moving to educate the public on impeachment. Jamie Raskin, who's the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, told the lawyer a few weeks ago that he thought having shadow impeachment hearings, nothing stopping the Democrats from having committee room and having shadow hearings. They've already done about four or five of them and have good press, especially in the recess, so called. When Speaker Johnson shut down the House now for over six weeks, really to protect Trump on the Epstein files, they had a great Opportunity to have all kinds of shadow hearings on all kinds of subjects. The Democrats press having nothing to do with a shot down House. They would have given good coverage to the witnesses and the hearings. And then he changed his mind because Hakeem Jeffries is ordering the Democrats in the House never to talk about impeachment. What's going on here? He's the most impeachable president in history. That's the only way the Democrats can get him out of there before his term ends.
- [15:32]
David Dayen
He's racked up the most impeachments in history for one president. Right Already. And we have three years to go. So as you know, the removal process for impeachment requires a very high 2/3 vote in the U.S. senate. That's not a reason not to pursue it, but it does show that it would be an extremely difficult road to actually remove this president. However, what you can do as a Congressional body is constraining this President to a great degree. Article 1 of the Constitution shows you the roadmap where Congress can act as a full check on most of the powers of the President, including most of the powers that he has usurped over the last several months. The one line that we talked about in this continuing resolution saying that no money toward given to this President can be used used to fire workers is a model for what you can do on a host of fronts. No money can be given to this President to place National Guard troops in American cities. No money can be given to this President to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. No money can be given to this president to do any number of things to make him essentially an irrelevant figure in Washington, sitting in the White House, but unable to, to carry out anything but making sure that the laws are faithfully executed, I think that is a forgotten history that Congress has this tremendous power to assert itself as an institution and not make itself irrelevant. That is as true in domestic policy as it is in foreign policy. As you know, Congress is the entity that is supposed to be at the forefront of declaring war and, and invoking war powers. And yet we have this President bombing random fishermen in the Caribbean. We have him sending armadas toward Venezuela. Congress could get in the middle of that and stop it. They could stop having the money sent in order for that to be carried out. And yet they have abdicated this responsibility over and over again.
- [17:45]
David Feldman
That's exactly how Congress stopped the Vietnam War.
- [17:48]
David Dayen
That's correct.
- [17:49]
David Feldman
They cut off appropriations.
- [17:51]
David Dayen
So my view is if you have millions of people in the streets saying we have no kings in the United States of America, then the best method to follow that directive is to have Congress take back its power and ensure that there isn't a king or a de facto king operating out of the White House.
- [18:13]
David Feldman
Let's go to Steve. Question, David.
- [18:16]
Steve Skrovan
Whenever these things seem like a mystery to me, I always think about, okay, where's the money? What money is talking here? What kind of pressure would big donors in the Democratic Party have on Schumer and these so called centrist Democrats? Is that a motivating force, part of this equation?
- [18:35]
David Dayen
It's certainly been reported that lobbyists or the major airlines and the airlines themselves had given a number of contributions to the Democrats who defected. Obviously, air travel was in absolute disarray prior to this agreement with thousands of flights being canceled. That was a hit to the bottom lines of these major airline companies. So that has been reported that Democrats were swayed in some way by that spectacle. As far as everything else, one of the ways that Republicans got on this bill, because for Republicans there is the passing of a full year appropriation on three of the 12 appropriations bills in ways that they may think spends too much money or gives too much money to various agencies. But there's a little provision that was tucked into this bill that gives a private right of action to senators to, to sue for up to half a million dollars if their communications were intercepted in the course of the Jack Smith investigation, which was looking into the events surrounding January 6, 2021. And so this is like a direct payout to certain hard right Republican senators. And that may have greased the skids for those senators seeing literally a payoff of a half million dollars to go along with this resolution of the shutdown.
- [20:06]
David Feldman
Let's go to it.
- [20:07]
Danny Noble
Hannah, I was looking at your recent article in the American Prospect, Politicians Aren't Heroes, and I think you raised some, several interesting points, especially in light of the recent election results. Could you sort of tell our listeners a bit about the difference between supporting ideas versus supporting politicians?
- [20:26]
David Dayen
Yeah, 100%. I mean, that article grew out of a frustration that I was having over the conversation within Democratic circles online that is really largely based in sort of wearing your team's colors and supporting your favorite candidates, whether you're a progressive or a centrist or what have you, and supporting them through thick and thin, regardless of what revelations emerge or whatever. I think that we have lost sight of the purpose of politics in many, many ways through this my team versus your team discussion that we see happening, particularly online. I think it is far more important to be in the forefront on particular issues and then force Democratic politicians to get with the program and move to your side. The example that I use in that article is the sea change in American political opinion around Israel and the Middle East. And we've certainly seen over the last two years of this brutality and genocide in Gaza that American opinions on the use of US taxpayer dollars to fund the Israeli military, on sympathies towards Israelis or Palestinians or what have you, has completely changed. And it's changed in such a way that aipac, which was this political action committee that has thrown its weight around the Democratic primaries a lot, is now being rejected by the very people it bought to get into office. There are several instances of those politicians rejecting AIPAC money. Seth Molson, who is running for U.S. senate in Massachusetts and is seen as a centrist and certainly friendly towards traditional foreign policy positions, rejected AIPAC money right at the launch of his campaign. So basically what's happened there is that there was a lot of activism around the war and it changed public opinion. Democrats now, by and large reject military support for Israel, for example. It changed public opinion and then politicians got out in front of the parade and pretended to be leading it. And I think that that is a more durable form of activism and it's the kind of activism that frankly, Ralph has engaged in throughout his career that is just much more durable than hoping that the politician that you support supports every position that you do and we can just elect him and then go to sleep.
- [23:06]
David Feldman
Well, we're going to get into that. And our next guest, the campaign manager for Jewish Voice for Peace. Before we close, can you tell our listeners how they can connect with American Prospect, the website and oh, they can subscribe, sure.
- [23:21]
David Dayen
We are@prospect.org that's prospect.org we produce articles every day talking about ideas, politics and power. And you can subscribe and donate to the Prospect. We put out a magazine six times a year. We also have a newsletter that goes out twice a day. So all of that is available at the website@prospect.org and we're reader supported. If you feel like supporting this work, we give it away for free. I mean, it's, it's. We don't have a paywall, but we invite people who think it's important to Support us@prospect.org Donate.
- [23:57]
David Feldman
Thank you very much. I've been speaking with David Dayan, the chief editor of American Prospect magazine. Thank you for your comments, David. Thank you for your work day after day.
- [24:08]
David Dayen
Thank you for having me.
- [24:10]
Steve Skrovan
We've been speaking with David Day and we will link to his work@ralph naderradiohour.com up next, we talk about Gaza with Jewish Voice for Peace's Danny Noble. But first, let's check in with our corporate crime reporter, Russell Mokhyber.
- [24:24]
Ralph Nader
From the National Press building in Washington, D.C. this is your corporate crime reporter Morning minute for Friday, November 14, 2025. I'm Russell Mulciber. Criminologist Julia Shaw is out with a new book titled Green Inside the Minds of People Destroying the Planet and how to Stop Stop Them. Shaw says that our planet is a crime scene. People are murdered, ecosystems are destroyed, and corruption is rampant. In Green Crime, Shaw, a criminal psychologist, takes us inside six environmental crimes and reveals how the perpetrators think, why their crimes are so deadly, and how we can stop them from damaging our planet and our future. Shah explores six pillars of criminal behavior. Ease, impunity, greed, rationalization, conformity, and desperation. For the corporate crime reporter, I'm Russell Mulchyber.
- [25:20]
Steve Skrovan
Thank you, Russell. Welcome back to the Ralph Nader Radio Hour. I'm Steve Scrovan along with David Feldman, Hannah and Ralph. Al Jazeera has reported that Israel violated the ceasefire agreement at least 282 times from October 10th to November 10th. Why are we still calling it a ceasefire, David?
- [25:37]
Ralph Nader
Danny Noble is a strategic campaigns organizer at Jewish Voice for Peace.
- [25:43]
Steve Skrovan
Welcome to the Ralph Nader Radio Hour.
- [25:46]
Danny Noble
Danny Noble, thank you so much for having me.
- [25:49]
David Feldman
Yeah, welcome, Danny. Just for our listeners, tell us a little bit about Jewish Voice for Peace.
- [25:55]
Danny Noble
Jewish Voice for Peace is a grassroots organization of Jews and allies rooted in the United States organizing for Palestinian liberation and Jewishness beyond Zionism. That work takes many, many forms. We are a member based organization and grassroots organizing is the bread and butter of what we do. We have dozens and dozens and dozens of formations. I couldn't even tell you the exact number of local formations we have because every day there is a new university chapter or local municipal chapter forming. But we have many formations across the United States as well as on college campuses and communities, as well as a really vibrant rabbinical council network of black, indigenous Jews of color, Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews, as well as other networks as well.
- [26:49]
David Feldman
Well, your arch opponent is aipac and they are a powerful lobby, as you know so well, on Congress and state legislatures around the country. They seem to be uninhibited in suppressing free speech and punishing people who speak out against the Israeli genocide. Even getting some states to pass laws saying they can't do contracts with state procurement agencies if they support the Palestinian Cause one area you've opened up that has been in the shadows for a long time refers to your demand, and I'm quoting you, that our community institutions stop investing in genocide and Israeli apartheid by stopping buying Israeli bonds. And by doing so we can withdraw key support for violence against Palestinians, end quote. Are you getting good response to your effort here in terms of the details you're publicizing?
- [27:44]
Danny Noble
I mean, as you referred to, there has been tremendous momentum around the movement to divest public funds. So that includes pension funds that are, that unions are invested in public sector pension funds as well as cities, counties, state treasuries as well. There has been tremendous momentum around that movement, which is a call that has involved not just Jewish Force for Peace as an organization, but many grassroots organizations in the United States and around the world. And I would love to get more into the details of what that divestment call for Israel bonds is. But I think really important to situate that call for a particular form of divestment from Israeli apartheid, from occupation, from Israeli militaries, genocide, but situated in the larger context of the call for boycott, divestment and sanctions as being the broader call to use nonviolent tactics to be able to apply pressure to ensure the end of Israeli apartheid and ensure that Palestinians have a future of dignity, respect, self determination. And that larger call, again the BDS call, as it's called the Boycott Divestment sanctions movement, is really modeled off of the movement to end South African apartheid as well as the successes and of many justice movements that have employed these nonviolent tactics to be able to guarantee and fight for the rights of all. And that includes things like the Dalma bus boycotts and Montgomery bus boycotts as well as farm workers movement. Those are also other campaigns that have used this tactic. Specifically to your question about the particular call for Israel bond's divestment, the alarm bells as you referred to before, many organizations and activists, many Palestinian led organizations in the diaspora in Palestine, across the world, have been raising the alarm bells about Israel bonds for quite some time now. Particularly what are Israel bonds? Israel bonds, which very few people know much about, are direct loans to the Israeli military and government. They are unrestricted, they have no guardrails around what those funds can be used for, etc. And this is a main way that the Israeli military and government generate an unrestricted slush fund to be able to continue their genocidal assault on Gaza, to continue funding for the atrocities being committed against Palestinians even as their government and economy suffers and or operates with a massive deficit. So these are a main way that the military and government can sustain that violence. Over the course of the past few decades, lobbying organizations that are lobbying for Israel bond sales have turned their sights to the United States and to particularly large institutions such as pension funds, such as state treasuries, such as municipalities and other public. Again, public funds have turned their sights to those institutions which have access to more resources to even go far as to lobby to change US Law to allow those entities to invest directly in Israel bonds and purchase those with public funds. And we're talking about, just to give you a rough number, the Development Corporation of Israel touts that since the Israeli military started its genocidal assault on Gaza, they have raised at least $5 billion for from their recent call for Israel bond purchases, just in this recent, quote, unquote, campaign that they began. So we're talking about a massive amount of money, and specifically we're seeing a tremendous amount of momentum at the local level organizing involving JVP formations as well as our Palestinian partner organizations. At the local level across the United States, we're seeing a tremendous momentum as more and more grassroots organizers are becoming aware and infuriated by the fact that in addition to the billions of dollars in weapons and in military funding that our Congress approves each year, and in addition to that, that with really total lack of very much a lack of a democratic process, our local financial officers and state financial officers are deciding to gamble and play with public funds to invest in Israel bonds directly. Really what is as a way of scoring political points and showing support for Israel instead of prioritizing the needs of retirees and of folks in our community and prioritizing the needs of our communities here at home. And so what we've seen is an explosion of those campaigns across the United States. There are right now, I mean, just the campaigns that JVP formations are involved in, which is not even close to all of the different grassroots campaigns that are being waged. We're Talking about almost 20 different campaigns across the United States calling for Israel bond divestment, including most recently in New York City, where the past comptroller, Brad Lander, stood by his decision to not reinvest in Israel bonds. And there's currently a campaign to ensure that the incoming treasurer, Mark Levine, continues that decision and prioritizes the fiscal responsibility and fiduciary duty of that position by not reinvesting.
- [33:30]
David Feldman
One of your demands is a recognition of the history here. What demands Jewish Voice of Peace is they have declared that this didn't just start on October 7, 2023. This started back in 1948 or even earlier. And you say, quote, the Israeli military and government are upholding a brutal system of total domination over Palestinians. They suffer an unequal apartheid system and a violent occupation of stolen Palestinian land. Now the Israeli military is committing a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. End quote. Tell us about the erosion of AIPAC and Israeli Netanyahu government support in Congress.
- [34:17]
Danny Noble
At Jewish Voice for Peace. We believe fundamentally that our role is to organize within our context, to really dismantle the US Israel alliance that has provided historically has allowed for the Israeli military and government to commit genocide, uphold apartheid and maintain an illegal occupation with total impunity. And that is really part of our role. And we know that the conditions that led to October 7th will not be addressed in a ceasefire. That we are grateful for the possibility of a potential pause in the onslaught of the brutal massacre and attacks. Although the Israeli military has violated that ceasefire many times, almost about 900 Palestinians have been killed. The Israeli military has killed 900 Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. But we know that a future where Israelis, Palestinians, all people can live in safety and dignity means addressing the underlying system of separate and equal system of racial domination, of apartheid, of ending the occupation and ensuring that Palestinian families are entitled and can have the same safety and dignity that all families deserve. I just candidly, just speaking from my own experience right during this genocide, something that happened in my life was that I had a child. And no parent should have to put their child and their baby to sleep at night for fear of that bonds will come and take their family and their home in the middle of the night, or that settlers will come, raid their house and arrest or even worse, kill folks in that just no person and no family on earth should have to go through that. So we know that our work continues and deepens even after this ceasefire has taken hold. When we talk about this fundamental role that we have, which is as Jewish Voice for Peace, again, we are just one organization organizing for Palestinian liberation. But when we talk about dismantling the US Israel alliance that has allowed the Israeli military and government to commit these atrocities with total impunity, we absolutely cannot talk about that without talking about the role of AIPAC and of the Israel lobby. What we've seen over the past, you know, just this year is tremendous, tremendous movement as the result of really grassroots pressure, tremendous movement in Congress that is really unprecedented. And I'm going to talk a little bit about that and also obviously give caveats that we know that working to Stop the United States from funding and arming Israel is just one part of our work. It's just one tactic. But since the beginning of Israeli military's genocide against Palestinians, the US has given more than $30 billion in taxpayer funded weapons to Israel. So just to give a sense that's just weapons. And in June of this year, historically, we saw several representatives in Congress introducing this historic bill, which is called Block the Bombs. And this bill would essentially block the Trump administration from delivering some of the deadliest weapons to Israel. So it's an essential, essential step in what we need to do fundamentally, which is a full arms embargo to stop arming the Israeli military and government, which has systematically violated international law and now the United nations and the world's leading human rights organizations affirms is committing genocide. We have seen more Democrats, more politicians, more congresspeople joining this piece of legislation than ever before. Right now there, I think there are 57 members of Congress, two have even joined amidst the government shutdown that we just went through. It's still growing. It's the most supported piece of legislation in support of Palestinian rights that we've ever seen. And what we've seen at the local level is thanks to the just absolutely relentless organizing of activists across the US we have seen even congresspeople who have taken a tremendous amount of money from AIPAC and the Israel Lobby representatives who have even said publicly on the record they would never get on a bill like this to block weapons. We've seen them move this year on this because of just the tremendous amount of organizing and pressure happening at the local level and the fact that more and more congresspeople, I think, are really catching on, that they are wildly out of step with the American public, with the Democratic base. And so just to give an example, in Portland, Oregon, thanks to campaigning at the local level with local and state officials, those activists successfully pressured and ensured that the congresspeople, Bonamici and Dexter got on the Block the Bombs bill. These are both representatives who have taken a large amount of money from AIPAC and including Congresswoman Dexter, who said they would never get on this piece of legislation. Right. So it just shows that thanks to, again, the relentless local campaigning and organizing to ensure that our congresspeople are accountable to us. Just very clear that more and more elected officials are understanding that the majority, the vast majority of Americans don't want to be sending these deadly weapons to violate human rights, to tear families apart, to bomb hospitals, kill children. And so I just wanted to touch a little bit on an example of what we've seen specifically around that historic legislation, that progress this year.
- [39:50]
David Feldman
Before we go to Steve, what's your personal opinion of the flotillas? You think they serve a positive force for informing people around the world?
- [39:59]
Danny Noble
Absolutely. I believe it's incredibly brave and necessary for folks in the international community to put their bodies on the line and take a risk. You know, obviously a fraction of the risk that Palestinians living in Israeli apartheid, living under occupation, Palestinians in Gaza face every day putting themselves in a danger that is just an infinitesimal fraction of that. But absolutely, I think it's our duty and responsibility as peoples of conscience and specifically as a Jewish person and as a mother now of a Jewish girl. Those are the kind of Jewish values that I want my daughter to grow up with. And I think every member of the flotilla is, exemplifies true Jewish values.
- [40:43]
David Feldman
So does Steve.
- [40:44]
Steve Skrovan
Danny, how is JVP explaining this so called ceasefire that doesn't seem to be ceasing fire?
- [40:51]
Danny Noble
Since the cease fire came into effect, the Trump administration has continued to allow Israeli attacks on Palestinians to continue. And I say that because we understand that and have gotten ample evidence that everything that the Israeli military and government does, they do with US funding with weapons and that, you know, the genocide could have ended years ago. Should leaders in the US pick up the phone? But even just since the so called ceasefire, the Israeli military has killed, you know, 900 Palestinians. October 19th, the Israeli military launched a series of airstrikes killing 45 people in Gaza. Two days later there was airstrikes that killed over 100 people, over half of them children. And then there's the issue, the dire issue of humanitarian, of food aid. And we've seen that under half of the, you know, number of trucks that were outlined in the ceasefire agreement have been enabled to get in. And that's not even to mention, as we know, like the violence that the Israeli military continues to inflict on Palestinians in the west bank, which has continued and even escalated. Just this year, the Israeli Military has killed 40 children alone in the occupied West Bank. And you know, the numbers can go on and on and on. And we know that these two years of genocide were made possible because the Israeli government was not, has not been held accountable for decades of human rights abuses, for violating international law and for crimes against humanity. And so we're calling not just for a cessation of bombs, which obviously is much needed relief. I don't think that any of us who have not been in that situation could possibly imagine the level of relief of what it feels like to not have bombs, bombs raining on your head as you flee with your family, when you've literally moved dozens of times trying to keep your family safe. I mean, I don't think any of us can imagine the horror of that experience of the past two years, the horror of the man made famine, of what it's like to not be able to feed your children. And again, as a recent mother, it's hard to contain the emotion that I feel imagining what that must be like. And so I don't want to understate the relief of ceasing the bombing. But we know that we're not just calling for a stopping of bombing. We need full accountability for Israeli war crimes. We need an end to Israeli apartheid and we need a future where Palestinians and all communities can have self determination and be able to live safely and with dignity. And so in doing that means addressing the underlying issues of Israeli apartheid. And so that's a core part of our work is doing our small but important part here in the United States as a Jewish organization for Palestinian freedom to continue to dismantle the US Israel alliance that has really facilitated and allowed for the Israeli military and government to not be held accountable for those.
- [43:44]
David Feldman
We've been speaking with Danny Noble, campaign manager for Jewish Voice for Peace. I know it's not an easy job. You've got a lot of brickbacks that you have to endure and we applaud your humanity. DANNY and before we conclude, can you give our listeners the website for Jewish Voice for Peace, which is very up to date and very comprehensive?
- [44:05]
Danny Noble
Absolutely. You can find out more about Jewish Voice for Peace's work as well as fill out various forms to be able to get connected with local Jewish Voice for Peace formations where you live@jvp.org or Jewish Voice for Peace.org and also find out and sign up to become a member and find out about upcoming mass member meetings of which there is one tonight.
- [44:30]
David Feldman
Very good. Thank you very much, Danny.
- [44:33]
Danny Noble
Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
- [44:35]
Steve Skrovan
We've been speaking with Dani Noble. We will link to her work at Jewish Voice for peace@ralphnaderradiowour.com Stand up.
- [44:43]
David Dayen
Stand up.
- [44:44]
Steve Skrovan
Our next guest spent decades fighting for consumer rights. Now he's a playwright and author who writes about the most personal fight of his life, the slow, undeniable progression of cognitive decline. DAVID Sam Simon is an author, playwright and attorney. His new book, Dementia Man An Existential Journey is based on his award winning.
- [45:06]
Ralph Nader
Play of the same name. Welcome back to the Ralph Nader Radio Hour. SAM simon, thank you very much. That was a gracious introduction. Hi, Ralph.
- [45:16]
David Feldman
Hi, Sam. Let's get right into the issue here. There's nobody doing what you're doing. You have a play called Dementia Man. You've written extensively, you've connected and networked as what your strength is, especially all kinds of people in this area of cognitive decline or impairment. And you don't like the word dementia.
- [45:40]
Ralph Nader
I do not.
- [45:41]
David Feldman
On page 184 of your book, you pose the question the reader would pose. You say, if you hate this word so much, why do you call your book Dementia Man? Why do you call your play where you wrote the play and performed it Dementia Man?
- [46:00]
Ralph Nader
It is the word that is there and most use. I am going to be part of what will be shortly a major legislative campaign to have the federal government prohibited from using that word. That happened. And that's how the word retarded left our public lingo. And so at the moment, dementia is the word that the public understands and the discussion of cognitive decline. And thank you, Ralph, for starting that way. For introduced me. It is a word that is degrading. It is a descriptive word. By the way, I keep hearing people say, well, what's the disease? I have the disease. I have dementia. Well, dementia is not a disease. And so I don't want to go on. So I'm all there. I have already committed to changing the name of the. The home of my two my Alzheimer's journey. So I have the alternate.
- [46:55]
David Feldman
Okay, well, your forthcoming book called Dementia man and Existential Journey has amazing autobiographical insights. And anybody who as a friend or relative or co worker or neighbor having to endure cognitive disorders at an advanced stage would benefit from a great deal of your insights, your resilience, your courage of you and Susan and your family. But right now I'm focusing on Chapter 13, which is very reflective of your advocacy as a public interest lawyer over many decades. And chapter 13 is titled Living My Values as I Die. And I want to quote the first paragraph. While my jury with Alzheimer's isn't always easy for me or my family, that's not what consumes me. I struggle at moments with my need, irresistible urge from within to focus my energy during the journey on advocacy for repair and change, to meet the urgent needs for reform emerging from the explosion of neurocognitive disorders among the baby boomer generation and their children. My goal is to make this last chapter of my life as authentic as possible to who I am and have always been. And just by coincidence, Sam, the Washington Post of November 11th had a page one story titled a Social Rethinking of Dementia Care. Advocates push for an approach that emphasizes community and interaction and of course that involves also exercise and sociability, all the rest. Now they talk about something called dementia villages that are being considered in Washington D.C. in order to reflect this interactive community. Tell us what is a dementia village and are there such villages around the country?
- [48:57]
Ralph Nader
There are not many, Ralph. The broader village as described in that article is a little broader than most. There are. There is what I'm going to call it a village movement. It's slightly different than that, but I have performed for some of them. These villages are often associated with neighborhoods and within a large multi family dwellings. There are some in Bethesda, Maryland where I presented. And the village is where the members who live in it doesn't have to just be in a already senior living center. They are living in their homes. They want their home in that area to have a what they call a village to ensure that they can age well in their home and in their neighborhoods. Now what the article points out a bit is the need for a more intensive, if you will, community to focus particularly on the cognitive health. Now some of these village units are doing that. The Phillips Gallery in D.C. has worked with some of the villages in the D.C. area. Now they're smaller to enable more of that more some of those activities. And Ralph, to your question, into a vision of a different America, a different world, of a more open. And there are a few places that are open in the memory units. The memory units typically are locked and contained and have a nursing staff. There are some activities though still many people just sit and stare at the tv.
- [50:28]
David Feldman
The book is amazingly eclectic, listeners. Near the end, Sam has a number of his poems that he shares with you and then they're followed by helpful resources. He has a list of government resources as well as civic resources to help people negotiate the early stages here. You know, Sam, with the decline of the extended family, which was proximate to one another, not only had the nuclear family, you had the cousins and nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, grandparents. And that's almost all gone now. And families are spread all over the country and the world and the support structure is gone. And you're trying to restore a support structure. Give us an idea what that would be like and who would be the leaders in getting that underway. Members of Congress, state legislators, the medical profession, the social welfare people. Give us an idea on who the delivery people will be for what you want to see in the future.
- [51:32]
Ralph Nader
It is a growing number of patient based advocacy groups, Ralph, that are raising and trying to change the narrative. I don't want us to end this because one of my motives is the opposite, to be a counter voice to the opposite that's growing also in this country and that is a voice that life with this disease is not worth living. There is a campaign in many states to make it easier to have accompanied suicide. Malhotao, I don't know if you remember the name. He was a political consultant for Clinton. He passed away in Santa Fe and his obituary, he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and he traveled to Switzerland. And this is to the point now I'll get back more to resources. But his quote was, I don't want to continue becoming a burden to my family. And his only out was to go and kill himself. There are voices in this country and advocates who want to be able to do that. And I want to. And not just me, these voices, the dementia friendly movement, which is very large movement, there is this campaign of the East End Institute of Reimagining Dementia and Mary Fridley, I want to give her a shout out who's been a friend to me personally to help me on my journey, who imagine a different world and then groups that I'm listening in there. But you also have to have this counter voice. And there's also a social cost here, Ralph, in the mind the sense that my entire, everything I've ever built personally, my homes, my savings that were all going to be available to legacy to my family, may have to be spent in my last few years of my life just to keep me alive. There needs to be a community response to that. And that's shorthand for the government that doesn't force people to go broke to stay alive. That's a big part of what I want to be a voice for.
- [53:37]
David Feldman
Well, you certainly fill your book with that. There are millions of people who are going through this and there are all kinds of ways to make it more humanitarian, more communal and to maintain civic purpose in life by people with cognitive impairment. Good evidence. We have the President of the United States who has major cognitive impairment. Look what he's done with his career. So the book is Dementia Man, Existential Journey by Samuel A. Simon. Let's go to Steve.
- [54:10]
Steve Skrovan
Sam talked about lifestyle changes. Talk about purpose. Sam, what do you do on a day to day basis to try to stem the progression of cognitive decline?
- [54:22]
Ralph Nader
So my wife, who is now my cognitive navigator, and that is a word that is catching on around the country, gets me to the gym Every morning I use the elliptical and we exercise every morning seven days a week. We have our goals for stand and activity. I do have a family, I don't. I have two sisters and a brother in law. All my family, we email every morning, we read books together. We've been doing that for quite a while. Keeps our family together. I wrote a play, I rehearse my play. I do some of my own marketing. We are very active in our community, still very active in my local synagogue. And I have a son who is a politician and we support him and. But getting up every morning, exercising, writing something, being engaged with people and having something I want to work on. And we get, you know, I get to post the Times every morning and I read them and I spend too much time in front of the computer. So I would. Because I'm writing in the light. But I try to make sure I can get up and move. And now we have appointments out of the house. We are going to move. And this is breaking news to anybody who knows me. We just put a deposit down on the senior living center. We've been living in our home. But one of the challenges for people with this disease is isolation. And as much as I'm doing, Susan and I in our home in McLean, Virginia are feeling isolated. You know, people who know that you've got something like this, they tend not to call, they tend not to come around as much. You have to work to reach out. And those are things we're doing and moving, making the decision to moving into it. It's a new one, it's coming up. It'll enable us to vote for our son for the first time because it's in his district.
- [56:13]
David Feldman
The book is just out in November. Dementia Man, Existential Journey by Samuel A. Simon. Thank you very much, Sam.
- [56:23]
Ralph Nader
Thank you for having me and everybody here on the call who I've known and work with. And it's a privilege to be part of this movement still. I feel like I'm still there, Ralph. And what. And thank you and all of you who have helped make America safer and change. You know, it's in the, it's in the book, the line that you know their lines about how the impact you have had and we have had now in this new era, we're all still at it. Even you, Alfred, you're one of those with me. I just turned 80. I won't say how old you are. Thank you very much, Ralph.
- [56:57]
Steve Skrovan
We've been speaking with Sam Simon. We will link to dimension man@ralphnaderradiohour.com I want to thank our guests again, David Day and Danny Noble and Sam Simon. For those of you listening on the radio, that's our show. For you podcast listeners, stay tuned for some bonus material we call the Wrap up featuring Francesco de Santis with in case you haven't heard, a transcript of this program will appear on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour substack site soon after the episode is posted.
- [57:23]
Ralph Nader
The producers of the Ralph Nader Radio.
- [57:25]
Steve Skrovan
Hour are Jimmy Lee Wirt, Hannah Feldman and Matthew Marin.
- [57:29]
Ralph Nader
Our executive producer is Alan Minsky.
- [57:31]
Steve Skrovan
Our theme music, Stand Up, Rise up, was written and performed by Kemp Harris. Our proofreader is Elizabeth Solomon.
- [57:37]
Ralph Nader
Join us next week on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour.
- [57:40]
Steve Skrovan
Thank you, Ralph.
- [57:42]
David Feldman
Thank you, everybody. The next edition of Capt Hill Citizen is coming soon.
- [57:47]
Ralph Nader
Stand up.
- [57:53]
David Dayen
Stand up, step up, you ought to step up rise up, arise.
- [58:00]
Danny Noble
Up I know you want to rise up.
- [58:11]
Ralph Nader
Step up. This is John Crumshow with a special politics or pedagogy education report. On the line is Dr. Tom Raggio. He has a program called Head Start, which has to do with California desert tortoises. Welcome to Politics or Pedagogy.
- [58:43]
David Feldman
Hi, John, it's great to be here.
- [58:45]
Ralph Nader
Great to talk with you. Tell us about this program. Sure.
- [58:47]
David Feldman
Mojave desert tortoises is a species that's been declined for quite a while for a variety of reasons. And one aspect of their ecology is that even under natural conditions you see low survival of eggs and juveniles. But these can be exacerbated in the current world that they inhabit, where there's a lot of ravens that prey upon the young animals. So a conservation tool that's been developed by a few different groups is called head starting. And what it consists of is locating the eggs in nature, incubating them either in nature or in the lab, then raising the young tortoises for the first year of their life, either in nature and protected enclosures or in the lab, and then releasing them into high quality habitats to a try to improve the sizes of the declining populations and b try to understand more about the animals and what they need so we can further improve our efforts.
- [59:50]
Ralph Nader
And what have you learned so far?
- [59:52]
David Feldman
Well, we've learned, as another lab has learned, that you can raise these animals for their first year of life indoors and release them at large sizes where their shells are stronger.