I've become a huge fan of the new MSNBC show "Up w/ Chris Hayes." It is one of the best political programs I've seen in a very long time, and the format is excellent. Hayes has a standing group of 4 guests for the entire program, with occasional additions (where one of the four leaves for a segment). This format offers the guest a great deal of time for actual conversation and analysis, and so far, Hayes has been able to have ideological diversity among his groups of guests, though there is certainly a strong liberal leaning to the show overall. I highly recommend the show.
I also wanted specifically to highlight this editorial that Hayes put together on "generational warfare." I liked it so much that I've included the clip. I found the editorial well reasoned, and I nodded my head in agreement often, as Hayes made his various points.
When I think about the arguments surrounding the efforts to privatize Social Security (I can't recall how many of my actual peers parrot the line that "we won't see any of that money anyway," usually ending their point with a nod to the magic of Wall Street and/or individual responsibility), or the standing House budget bill eliminating Medicare and Medicaid as we know them, it seems very clear that there is a real effort to make sure that Generation X, and the others that follow, will not have the benefits that our parents or grandparents are currently or soon-to-be receiving. And that effort is not really being waged for the benefit of the younger generations; it seems to me to be yet another scheme to funnel more money to Wall Street and insurance companies, while simultaneously leaving all of us at the mercy of the marketplace (I should add that Mitt Romney appears to be floating the idea of privatizing veterans' benefits as well).
I thank Hayes for getting me to think about that issue (and many others) on my weekend mornings (it's hard out here for a political junkie), and strongly recommend readers of this blog, regardless of political perspective, to tune in.
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