This is the official podcast of Liberal Arts with Mark Sutton, the radio show that explores the arts from an unapologetically political perspective.
Download and watch full episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher including his New Rules and Overtime segments with his guest panelists. New episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher air Fridays at 10, only on HBO.
The Rev. Mark A. Thompson has spent most of his life as a political, civil rights & human rights activist and organizer. He not only has been a part of every major social justice movement & event over the past 35 years, he has also been a radio broadcaster for three decades, and he has spent over 10 years as a television commentator, as well. Mark, hosts Make It Plain, a political, human rights and non-mainstream news podcast. Mark’s lifelong social justice activism intersects with his years ...
"Don't Hijack My Thread" is an interactive discussion on today's hot political topics with a progressive slant. Join "rapid fire" hosts Adam Lambert (clammyc) and David Atkins (thereisnospoon) as they take your calls and opinions! Shows are generally scheduled for Wednesday nights at 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific. Call in number is 718-508-9410.
President Biden surprised Democrats when he announced a commission to explore expanding the Supreme Court. Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and Host of podcast “The Brief,” is back today to explain why Biden might have made that move and what could come of it, in terms of D.C. statehood and reparations. However, aside from the Supreme…
On April 14th, for the first time in history, the House Judiciary Committee voted in favor of the reparations bill, H.R. 40, which would establish the commission to study reparations proposals. As the bill was getting marked up on Capitol Hill, Mark moderated a panel of some of the key players in the reparations movement, and we’ll be bringing you …
On April 14th, for the first time in history, the House Judiciary Committee voted in favor of the reparations bill, H.R. 40, which would establish the commission to study reparations proposals. As the bill was getting marked up on Capitol Hill, Mark moderated a panel of some of the key players in the reparations movement, and we’ll be bringing you …
Maggie Haberman had unprecedented access to the Trump family and administration; now that we’re in our new administration, where are all her big scoops on Biden? That’s what Eric Boehlert, writer and publisher of Pressrun.media, wants to know today. He also says that Fox News should not be allowed to participate in White House press briefings after…
R
Real Time with Bill Maher


1
Ep. #562: Sharon Osbourne, Ian Bremmer, Rosa Brooks
56:55
56:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:55
Bill’s guests are Sharon Osbourne, Ian Bremmer, and Rosa Brooks. (Originally aired 4/16/21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By HBO Podcasts
Arisha Hatch is the Vice President and Chief of Campaigns for Color of Change, and in today’s episode, she and Mark dig into the difficult topic of optimism vs. pessimism regarding the outcome of the Derek Chauvin murder trial, which is incredibly complicated for the Black community. They share their fears and hopes for the outcome, and also explor…
What would it look like to engage in nonviolent direct action consistently, through strategic organizing? That’s what Kai Newkirk (Founder of For All www.forallorg.us) and Rev. Stephen Green (Pastor, Scholar, and Activist) explain in today’s episode, as they discuss the piece they co-authored, “Why Kingian democratic socialism is the best path forw…
If you’ve watched the HBO documentary on QAnon (“Q: Into the Storm”), or if you spend any time on the internet, you know it revealed some key details surrounding the group of conspiracy theorists. But what you don’t know is what the filmmaker, Cullen Hoback, chose to leave out, and that crucial information is what Mother Jones reporter Ali Breland …
Glenn Kirscher, Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, is on today to unravel the latest testimonies in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knealed on George Floyd’s next until he was dead. Mark and Glenn examine what was heard from Dr. Tobin, an expert pulmonologist, as well as Dr. Baker, the medical examiner who perf…
R
Real Time with Bill Maher


1
Ep. #561: Senator Alex Padilla, Heather McGhee, Reihan Salam
58:31
58:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:31
Bill’s guests are Senator Alex Padilla, Heather McGhee, and Reihan Salam. (Originally aired 4/9/21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By HBO Podcasts
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Jim Freeman on Who's Profiting from Racism
34:25
34:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:25
Racism is harming, if not killing, people of color in America, and there’s a small group that actually profits off it. That’s what Jim Freeman, author of “Rich Thanks to Racism: How the Ultra-Wealthy Profit from Racial Injustice,” unravels in today’s episode. There’s a number of billionaires and multi-millionaires (like the Koch brothers and the pe…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson on Fighting White Supremacy
47:46
47:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:46
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson is the Co-Executive Director of the Highlander Research and Education Center (the first Black woman to hold the position), a catalyst for grassroots organizing and movement building in Appalachia and the South. This renowned civil rights center suffered an arson attack in 2019, complete with a “white power” tag found at th…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Cecily Myart-Cruz on Education After COVID-19
24:45
24:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:45
Cecily Myart-Cruz is the President of United Teachers Los Angeles (and the first woman of color to hold the position) and as both a teacher and a parent, she understands the frustrations of at-home learning and the pressing desire to get kids back into schools. But she says there’s much to be considered first -- like how often students should take …
It’s that time again for Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priority, returns for his monthly status report on our economy. There is good news out of March’s jobs report, but as always, there’s many layers to understanding what it means. Chad breaks down unemployment rate vs. jobs added (which is reported by employers) a…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Ian Millhiser on the Dangers of the Supreme Court
24:32
24:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:32
Ian Millhiser a Senior Correspondent at Vox, where he focuses on the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the decline of liberal democracy in the United States, and his expertise on the courts is what fills out his new book, “The Agenda: How a Republican Supreme Court Is Reshaping America.” The agenda he’s speaking of is dangerous to voting rights …
Lawmakers say this level of gun violence, with mass shootings occurring almost daily, “should not become the new normal,” but Brian Lemek says we’ve already reached that point. Brian is the Executive Director at Brady PAC, the sister organization/political arm of Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention advocacy group. In today’s episode,…
President Biden unveiled his infrastructure plan, and it’s no surprise the GOP is upset about the corporate tax hike; but Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and Host of “The Brief” podcast, points out what’s interesting about their hypocrisy this time around, and why Republicans are having zero luck treating Biden as an “other.” Markos …
Anti-Asian racism is on the rise and Roshni Nedungadi has the numbers to back it up. She’s the Founding Partner, Chief Research Officer, and COO of HIT Strategies, a leading millennial and minority-owned public opinion research firm on Capitol Hill, and one of the few AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) pollsters in America. In today’s episo…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Tannia Ventura on Domestic Violence During COVID-19
38:07
38:07
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:07
One of the most common reasons a person does not leave a domestic violence situation is because they don’t have the cash to do it. At FreeFrom, an organization dedicated to knocking down the barriers that prevent domestic violence survivors from holding economic and community power, Tannia Ventura and the team work to get direct cash payments to su…
Reopening schools is just one of the challenges that lie ahead for teachers, students, and parents. Randi Weingarten is President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and she explains that it’s not solely about getting caught up with academics; kids need healing from the traumas of the pandemic and should get back on track with human intera…
R
Real Time with Bill Maher


1
Ep. #560: Christopher Krebs, Caitlin Flanagan, Bret Stephens
54:05
54:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:05
Bill’s guests are Christopher Krebs, Caitlin Flanagan, and Bret Stephens. (Originally aired 3/26/21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By HBO Podcasts
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Igor Volsky and Pastor Michael McBride on Gun Law Reform
40:03
40:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:03
Gun violence is centered in the national conversation once again, in light of the mass shootings in Atlanta, Boulder, and Chicago. Igor Volsky is the Co-Founder and the Executive Director of Guns Down America, and yesterday, his organization teamed up with other leaders and organizations in the fight against gun violence to launch a coalition lette…
As more people gain access to the coronavirus vaccine, we’re bringing you insight from a panel discussion with leaders of both medicine and faith. Moderated by our own Mark Thompson, the panelists explore how the vaccine works, community fears and hesitations, and what outstanding questions remain. Panelists: Dr. James K. Hildreth, President of Meh…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Dr. Nicholas Freudenberg on Death by Capitalism
35:19
35:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:19
There’s money to be made in keeping Americans unhealthy, and Dr. Nicholas Freudenberg is pulling back the curtain on the links between our collectively declining health and capitalism. Dr. Freudenberg is a public health practitioner and distinguished professor at CUNY School of Public Health, and his new book is titled “At What Cost: Modern Capital…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
D.A. Bullock of Reclaim the Block in Minneapolis
29:54
29:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
29:54
The people of Minneapolis want change, and the activists at Reclaim the Block are going to bring it. D.A. Bullock is a filmmaker and a Communications Team Member with Reclaim the Block in Minneapolis, where they reimagine public safety and lay groundwork for defunding the police. As the trial of police officer Derek Chauvin unfolds and we remember …
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United
22:03
22:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
22:03
The For the People Act (H.R. 1) passed in the House and is now headed to the Senate. What does that mean for you, the voter? Tiffany Muller is the President of End Citizens United (endcitizensunited.org) and she explains that, at a time when our voting rights are under constant threat, it’s a crucial time to pass this bill and she gives specific in…
R
Real Time with Bill Maher


1
Ep. #559: David Shor, Nick Gillespie, Heidi Heitkamp
58:42
58:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:42
Bill’s guests are David Shor, Nick Gillespie, and Heidi Heitkamp. (Originally aired 3/19/21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By HBO Podcasts
Eric Boehlert, Writer and Publisher of Pressrun.media, is not surprised by the mainstream media’s normalization of the GOP’s voter suppression tactics over recent weeks, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop calling them out for it. Eric points to the ways Republicans continue to evade accountability (and common decency) while the press plays ni…
Following the horrific and racist attack on Asian women in Atlanta, Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos, Civiqs, and podcast “The Brief,” is back to explain how not only are hate crimes against Asians at an all-time high, but law enforcement contributes to the problem by downplaying the motive of the shooter (or in the case of the Capitol riots, taking se…
What’s the likelihood of an American experiencing poverty? Turns out, it’s the majority. That’s what Mark Rank covers in his new book (co-authored by Lawrence Eppard and Heather Bullock) out now, “Poorly Understood: What Americans Get Wrong About Poverty.” There’s a common misconception that poverty is an issue of “them” when it’s really about “us”…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Ilyasah Shabaaz in Selma
22:03
22:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
22:03
Closing out our coverage of the 56th Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma, Mark speaks with Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who details the significance of Selma to both himself and the country-at-large. Mark is then joined by Ilyasah Shabaaz, daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz, as well as author, community organizer, and activist. Executive Producer: Ade…
Rev. Dr. Willian J. Barber II of the Poor People’s Campaign joined the discussion in Selma last weekend to draw the startling connection between poverty and voting rights. In this episode, Rev. Barber reminds us of the racist Southern Strategy from the 1960s and how it played out with not just Trump’s win, but continues to appear in the GOP’s ongoi…
R
Real Time with Bill Maher


1
Ep. #558: Annabelle Gurwitch, Scott Galloway, Larry Wilmore
56:37
56:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:37
Bill’s guests are Annabelle Gurwitch, Scott Galloway, and Larry Wilmore. (Originally aired 3/12/21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By HBO Podcasts
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Martin Luther King III on His Father's Legacy
22:33
22:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
22:33
Continuing our discussion and commemoration of the historic Bloody Sunday, Mark spoke with Martin Luther King III while in Selma about his father’s legacy playing out in 2020. He shares his thoughts on his father’s teachings applied today and how he might feel about all that has unfolded in the last year in the fight for racial justice. Executive P…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Voting Panel: LaTosha Brown, Ben Chavis, and Pastor Mike
24:48
24:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:48
While in Selma last weekend commemorating 56 years since the historic Bloody Sunday, Mark moderated a panel discussion on voting rights and H.R. 40 with LaTosha Brown of Black Voters Matter, Pastor Michael McBride of the Black Church PAC, and Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (BlackPressUSA.com). This …
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on Voting Rights
21:19
21:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:19
On Sunday, President Biden issued an Executive Order on voting rights, and Mark was in Selma, Alabama for the annual Bloody Sunday commemoration when that news became public. He was able to speak with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee to get her live reaction to Biden’s voting rights Executive Order as well as her status report on the reparations bi…
Last month showed an increase of approximately 379,000 jobs, but we’re STILL at a loss of about 9.5 million jobs overall since coronavirus started spreading across the U.S.. Chad Stone, Chief Economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, is back to let us know where we’ve rebounded, who is still disproportionately struggling, and how tru…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Senate Dems and African American Media Roundtable, Pt. 2
34:35
34:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:35
Today brings us part two of the African American Media Roundtable with Senate Democrats (roll back to Friday’s episode for part one), and we hear questions from reporters at Politico, the New York Times, Huffington Post, and more, including the kick-off question from our very own Mark Thompson. In this second part, the senators answer questions on …
R
Real Time with Bill Maher


1
Ep. #557: Joe Scarborough, Frank Bruni, Charlamagne Tha God
54:39
54:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:39
Bill’s guests are Joe Scarborough, Frank Bruni, and Charlamagne Tha God. (Originally aired 3/5/21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By HBO Podcasts
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Senate Dems and African American Media Roundtable, Pt. 1
30:12
30:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:12
This week Mark participated in a roundtable discussion with Senate Democrats on a myriad of issues, including access to vaccinations with an emphasis on communities of color, coronavirus data collection, where the reparations bill (H.R. 40) stands, voting rights and GOP voter suppression, and what is included in the next coronavirus relief package.…
It’s #ThursdayKos and Markos is back to talk about his new obsession: Mississippi. He sees it as the next Georgia--a state worth focusing on to flip from red to blue. He also shares why he thinks Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema are being jackasses, the hypocrisies of the criticism of Neera Tanden, and his reaction to the allegations against…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Rukia Lumumba of Movement for Black Lives
25:11
25:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:11
There is no women’s history without Black women, and today we honor that in a conversation with Rukia Lumumba, Co-Director of the Electoral Justice Project of the Movement for Black Lives and Founding Director of the People’s Advocacy Institute. Women like Breonna Taylor remind us Black women experience disproportionate violence, and the work done …
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Bruce Levine on the Radicalism of Thaddeus Stevens
25:14
25:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:14
Bruce Levine is the author of "Thaddeus Stevens: Civil War Revolutionary, Fighter for Racial Justice," which is out TODAY. In this episode he talks with Mark about Thaddeus Stevens' revolutionary politics, as one of the first white people to demand reparations for slaves (freed Black people were the first). Stevens operated under what was an extrem…
M
MIP Make It Plain with Mark Thompson


1
Elie Mystal, Justice Correspondent for The Nation
25:26
25:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
25:26
Democrats had big wins in 2018 and 2020 when people showed up in record numbers to vote, and so it comes as no surprise that the GOP is getting busy with voter suppression tactics. In today’s episode, Elie Mystal, Justice Correspondent at The Nation, says that state legislatures have already prepared three times as many voter restriction bills this…