It’s hot, hot, hot, and the air conditioners are blasting…  until the power goes out.

So where and how should we get our power?  There isn’t enough wind and solar to power the country yet.  So what are the alternatives…  Fracked natural gas from Pennsylvania? Deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico?  Sweet crude from Saudi Arabia?Coal from West Virginia?  Crude from Nigeria? Angola? Guinea?

How about heavy crude from the tar sands of our best friend and neighbor Canada?

What do Canadians think about the tar sands vs other energy sources?  Does it matter that they are hiring US vets?  Do Canadians have a problem with pipelines?  Who are they going to sell it to?

We’ll discuss tar sands vs fracking and other energy sources with a real live Canadian news guy – John Brenner, Assistant News Editor on AM 580 CFRA Ottawa.

What do you think we should do?  And, are you willing to turn off your air conditioner until we solve the problem?

Call in and let us know at 617 237 1234!

This week:

Part 1: Commentary and interview with Bill Deresiewicz about the pathology of capitalism (interview begins at about 7:40)  Listen now.

Part 2: Commentary about right-wing reaction to Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act. Listen now.

Are all capitalists bloodsucking vampire-like psychopaths who are slowly trying to destroy the economy for their own gain?

Of course not…but what’s wg with a little hyperbole to add to the political outrage (here’s looking at you FOX and MSNBC)?

We’ll be talking with essayist Bill Deresiewicz about the economy and those who want to wreck it for their own gain…

AND

Maybe Justice Roberts ain’t so bad after all…

Call 617 237 1234 and say what’s on your mind.

Part 2: Chuck Collins 2012-05-05-samantha-clemens-p2-chuck-collins-99to1.mp3

Part 3: Commentary on inequality 2012-05-05-samantha-clemens-p3-commentary-inequality.mp3

Have you been wondering about how wealth inequality is wrecking the world and what you can do about it?

Then you should join Samantha Clemens on The Samantha Clemens Show this Saturday at 10am as she welcomes Chuck Collins of the Institute for Policy Studies.

He is the author of the new book, “99 to 1: How Wealth Inequality is Wrecking the World and What We Can Do About It.”

Join Samantha and Chuck as they discuss his new book, the future of the country, the Occupy movement, and how to fix our economy.

First –

Paul Brandus, White House Bureau Chief and founder of the West Wing Report, will give us the latest about about the presidential race and the impact of the latest bad economic news on the campaigns. We’ll also touch on why Obama went to Colombia and whether he was successful.

Then –

Are women politicians in America oppressed or is American politics better left for the boys? The United States is currently tied for 79th in the world with liberal powerhouse Turkmenistan for percentage of women in national government. Who is number 1? Rwanda. Who’s number 3?  Cuba.

To get a clearer picture of where American women stand in The Land of the Free, we’ll talk with Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, President/CEO of She Should Run and Women’s Campaign Fund will join to discuss America’s dismal position in the world for women in politics.

Call in at 617 237 1234 to join the conversation.

Todd Wallack: 2012-04-21-samantha-clemens-p2-todd-wallack-liberty-mutual.mp3

Paul Dorf: 2012-04-21-samantha-clemens-p3-paul-dorf-exec-comp.mp3

Is a sleeping giant waking up??

 ”Citigroup’s shareholders recently took advantage of the new “say-on-pay” provisions of the Dodd-Frank law to vote DOWN CEO Vikram Pandit’s $15 million pay package.”

Woohoo…

And here in Boston, the Liberty Mutual CEO has been under fire for collecting $50 million A YEAR for his job…. When rates are set by the state! Is he really that good??

•  Todd Wallack, reporter from the Boston Globe, will give us the inside scoop on Liberty Mutual.
• who approves the pay
• is this a CEO affirmative action?
• is the fox watching the chicken coop?

•  Paul Dworf, Managing Director of Compensation Resources Inc, is an expert in Executive Compensation. We’ll talk about:
• how these guys set executive compensation levels,
• how they measure success,
• how they hire these guys in the first place,
• how compensation and the attitude of the execs has changed over time,
• what the effect of tax increases would have
• and whether more money is really an incentive for these guys.

My question: Just how is it that the free market can’t get these wages DOWN instead of up in a down economy? Are there more of these guys on the streets – more supply of executive labor than demand? What’s going on?

Call in: 617 237 1234!

Hope you can join us for The Samantha Clemens Show Saturday morning at 10 am EDT on AM1510 in Boston, streaming live at www.samanthaclemens.com.

Guest:   Professor James Alan Fox, Northeastern University criminology professor AND Boston.com Community Voices blogger

Connecticut’s legislature has voted to abolish the death penalty in the Nutmeg state and George Zimmerman has been charged with 2nd degree murder in the Sunshine State….

But what are the ramifications?

Connecticut has only has one execution since 1976, will it make a difference? In the last few years a number of states have voted to abolish the penalty…will the trend continue?

• Was Mr. Zimmermann “overcharged” or “undercharged”?
• Is the second degree murder charge appropriate? Would have even been charged if there wasn’t such a national outcry?
• What about life without parole for juvenile offenders??

Join Samantha on as she welcomes Professor James Alan Fox!

The two will discuss these legal topics and more.

Be sure to call the studio line to get your comments heard and your questions asked! The studio number is 617 237 1234!

On the Samantha Clemens Show, Saturday morning from 10 to 11am, Samantha welcomes Chris Mooney to talk about his new book “The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny the Science — and Reality”

2012-04-17-samantha-clemens-chris-mooney.mp3

From Amazon:

Best selling author Chris Mooney uses cutting-edge research to explain the psychology behind why today’s Republicans reject reality—it’s just part of who they are.

From climate change to evolution, the rejection of mainstream science among Republicans is growing, as is the denial of expert consensus on the economy, American history, foreign policy and much more. Why won’t Republicans accept things that most experts agree on? Why are they constantly fighting against the facts?

Science writer Chris Mooney explores brain scans, polls, and psychology experiments to explain why conservatives today believe more wrong things; appear more likely than Democrats to oppose new ideas and less likely to change their beliefs in the face of new facts; and sometimes respond to compelling evidence by doubling down on their current beliefs.

• Goes beyond the standard claims about ignorance or corporate malfeasance to discover the real, scientific reasons why Republicans reject the widely accepted findings of mainstream science, economics, and history—as well as many undeniable policy facts (e.g., there were no “death panels” in the health care bill).
• Explains that the political parties reflect personality traits and psychological needs—with Republicans more wedded to certainty, Democrats to novelty—and this is the root of our divide over reality.
• Written by the author of The Republican War on Science, which was the first and still the most influential book to look at conservative rejection of scientific evidence. But the rejection of science is just the beginning…

Certain to spark discussion and debate, The Republican Brain also promises to add to the lengthy list of persuasive scientific findings that Republicans reject and deny.

• Samantha on the Supreme Court hearing on Obamacare 2012-03-31-samantha-clemens.mp3

• Presidential candidate Governor Buddy Roemer on why he’s running, why he’s focused on campaign finance reform, and why he’s the best candidate. He recently dropped out of the Republican primary and is now a declared candidate with Americans Elect 2012: 2012-03-31-samantha-clemens-gov-buddy-roemer.mp3

• The proposed MA ‘stand your ground’ legislation with Lawrence Harmon, editorial writer and columnist for the Boston Globe 2012-03-31-samantha-clemens-lawrence-harmon.mp3

Chris Faraone joined Samantha to talk about his new book “99 Nights with the 99%,” a compilation of Chris’ articles for The Boston Phoenix and other unpublished material he wrote as he traveled the country late last year from Occupation to Occupation.

The discussion ranged from the occupy movement to how down and dirty should liberals should get when arguing with conservatives to the Treyvon Martin shooting and ‘stand your ground’ laws in Florida and proposed bill here in  Massachusetts.

Interesting conversation with an interesting guy…

Can’t we all get along? Can’t liberals persuade conservatives with facts, logic, the merit of our agreements? Can’t conservatives convince liberals of the superior morality of their position?

Well, according to Jonathan Haidt, psychologist at the University of Virginia and author of “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion,” we will never persuade each other because our believes are intuitive and irrational…

Joshua Rothman is columnist for the Boston Globe’s Sunday Ideas section who had a chance to catch up with Haidt on his book tour.

PLUS…

Second half hour:

New Hampshire State Rep Seth Cohn says he’ll introduce a bill to bar left-handed people from marrying each other.

In a tongue-in-cheek proposal to a gay marriage repeal bill, Rep. Cohn plans to offer the ban-on-lefty marriages amendment Wednesday, when the gay marriage repeal bill is debated. LOVE IT!

Seth will tell us all about it!

Call in: 617 237 1234!

Photo: (Greg Klee/Globe Staff)