Trump and G.O.P. on verge of creating major food crises in Puerto Rico  The latest on public housing, homelessness, and poverty in New York City Guests: NYC City Council Member Stephen Levin, Chair, General Welfare Committee; José Calderón  President of the Hispanic Federation

America We Need to Talk podcast

City Watch, WBAI Radio, February 17, 2018

Topics: Why progressives should fight hard for their values but also accept compromises that concretely improve the lives of the people for whom they claim to be fighting. Why progressives must reject the facile, false, and self-defeating notion that there is no difference between the Democrats and Republicans, Music: “Capitol Air” by Allen Ginsburg and the Clash off the box set “Allen Ginsberg; Holy Soul Jelly Roll Poems and Songs 1949-1993” “The Drum Also Waltzes,”   by Max Roach off the album “Drums Unlimited” “Big Eyed Rabbit,” by Samantha Bumgarner & Eva Davis off the album “Oxford American- Southern Music Issue- featuring North Carolina”   “Try a Little Tenderness” by Otis Redding off the album “Stax/Volt Revue Live Volume 2 – Live in Paris

America, We Need to Talk, Espisode #19, January 4, 2019

Topics: Wrap up of 2018: Top stories in the news; Top under-reported stories; Our favorite movies, books, music of 2018; our hopes for 2019 Music: “Milono Kola” by Sau Family Orchestra off the album “NYC Global Beat of the Boroughs”   (Banat Romanian Gypsy/Roma Music) “Happy Go Lucky – Night Train” by Oscar Peterson off the album “Night Train” “Campo” by Los Pleneros de 21” off the album “NYC Global Beat of the Boroughs”– Tradit0onal Puerto Rican bomba music “Know Your Rights” by the Clash off the album “From Here to Eternity Live”

America, We Need to Talk, Episode #18, December 28, 2018

Topics: Mattis resignation, stock market collapse, government shut-down, shafting hungry Americans (again), and the U.N.’s Anti-Poverty work Guest: Dr. Mila Rosenthal, Director of Communications for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Music: “My Baby’s Gone” by Robert Belfour off the album “What’s Wrong with You” “B Funk” by Lester Bowie off the album “Works ” “Mario Tambien Come” By y Sergio Mendoza off the album “Mambo Mexicano” “Al Capone” by Prince Buster off the box set “The Story of Jamaican Music”

America, We Need to Talk, Episode #17, December 21, 2018

NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer Discusses His Bold Plan for Affordable Housing

Joel Berg and Jennifer Jones Austin Interview with NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer

Topics: Affordable housing in NYC, Michael Cohen Guilty Plea, Cultural Appropriation and Inferior White Covers of Classic African-American Song Guest: New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer Music: “That’s All Right ” by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup “Shake, Rattle, & Roll” by Big Joe Turner “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton “Eyesight to the Blind ” by Sonny Boy Williamson

America, We Need to Talk, Episode #16, December 14, 2018,

Topic: The Contradictory Legacy of George Herbert Walker Bush: an In-Depth Nuanced, Discussion. Plus Hear Joel Get Berated by Callers Who Believe the Whacky Conspiracy Theory that Bush Killed JFK Music: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” by Lester Bowie’ Brass Fantasy off the album “Serious Fun” “Political Song for Michael Jackson” by the Minutemen off the album “Double Nickels on the Dime” “Motel Blues” by Loudon Wainwright III off the album “A Live One” “We the Common” by Thao & The Get Down and Stay Down off the album “We the Common”

Episode #15, America, We Need to Talk, December 7, 2018

Topic: How can we ensure that the U.S. Department of Justice stands for the equal rule of law for everyone? Guest: Bert Brandenburg,  a former top U.S. Justice Department Official Music: “Spitu pront number 1” by Franc Baldachio and and Karenu Bonnici from the album “Malte” Ballades et joutes chantees” (Malta: Ballads and Song Concerts “White Man’s World” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit from the album “the Nashville Sound” “Tu Cuerpo en la Arena” (Your Body en La Arena) by Rikarena from the album The Rough Guide to Merengue “O Ponos tu Prezakia” (The Anguish of an Addict) by Anestis Delias, from the Album “Rembetika: Songs from the Greek Undeground, 1925-1947”

America, We Need to Talk, Episode #14, November 30, 2018

Topic: Discussion of the history of hunger in America, and why NYC and America still have so much of it today Guest: NYC Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks Music:– “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra, “Sugar is So Bitter” by Elvis Costello; and “Boul Di Tagale”  by Cheikh Lo

Episode #13, America, We Need to Talk, November 23, 2018,

Topics: Mid-term election results and the future of the Democratic Party. Plus, if you are given the name “Goddess of Melody and Song" at birth, must you become a singer? Guests: Tibetan-American singer Yungchen Lhamo and Political Science Professor Dr. Christine Greer Music: “Isouwa” by lhousseini Anivolla, “Happiness Is” by Yungchen Lhamo, “The Witches” by the Sonics

Episode #12, America, We Need to Talk, November 9, 2018

Topics: The latest on the mid-term elections and the meaning of the recent, deadly hate attacks in America. Why we should be all energized to peacefully fight even harder for social progress and to elect progressive candidates. Plus, some solace from Allen Ginsburg. Guests: Rabbi Rachel Grant Meyer, HIAS’ Director of Education, Community Engagement and Senior Rabbi Rachel Timoner of Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn. Music: Zot Nit Keynmol (Song of the Warsaw Ghetto) By Paul Robson from the album “On My Journey- Paul Robeson’s Independent Recordings. “Sahara” by Songhoy Blues with Iggy Pop” from the album “Resistance”

Episode #11, America, “We Need to Talk,” November 2, 2018

Topics include: Bombs sent to prominent Democrats and Trump responds by blaming the victims. national and mid-term elections and NYC voting procedures, novel “Everything Belongs to Us” Guests: Yoojin Grace Wuertz an American novelist, acclaimed novelist, and Onida Coward-Mayers, Director, Voter Assistance, NYC Votes Campaign Finance Board Music: “Tibo Gadeina” by Leila Gobi from the album “Leila Gobi 2017;” “True Dark” by Murder by Death from the album “The Other Shore;” Can You Get to That” by Mavis Staples from the Album One True Vine;” “Wealth Center – Risk Capital” by Mothers the Album “Render Another Ugly Method”

Episode #10, America, We Need to Talk, WBAI Radio, October 26, 2018

Discussion of the mid-term elections, Trump covering up murder and inciting violence, single payer health care, and the New Democratic movement. Guests: Ramell Ross, filmmaker of “Hale County, This Morning This Evening” and Will Marshall, president and founder of the Progressive Policy Institute Music: “Convex” by St Paul and the Broken Bones from the album Young Sick Camelia; “Water on Mars” the Nude Party from their self-titled debut album; “When Mavis Sings” by Mike Farris from the album “Silver and Stones”

Episode #9, America, We Need to Talk, October 19, 2018

Discussions of: Kanye West in the Oval Office, the mid-term elections, an inspiring personal immigration story, a documentary about Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and a tribute to baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett Guests: author Reyna Grande, political science professor Dr. Christina Greer, and Joseph Dorman and Toby Perl Freilich, the filmmakers behind “Moynihan: the Movie” Music: “Dock of the Day” by the World Saxophone Quarter from the album “Rhythm and Blues”

Episode #8, America, We Ned to Talk, October 12 2018

Discussion of the sordid state of judicial nominations with Bert Brandenburg, a former Department of Justice official. Discussion of the precarious state of immigration “dreamers” with Dr. Laura Emiko Soltis, the Director of Freedom University, and with Arizbeth, a dreamer.  Music: “Sweetener” by Ariana Grande from the Album “Sweetener” “Nanda” by Pedrinho from the album “Synthesize the Soul: Astro-Atlantic Hypnotica from the Cape Verde Islands 1973-1988”

Episode #7, "America, We Ned to Talk,' October 5, 2018

“America, We Need to Talk” – hosted by Joel Berg with rotating guest co-hosts – is a lively, take-no-prisoners show on WBAI FM radio that not only diagnoses the ills of both New York City and the nation, but prescribes concrete cures. Combining humor and bombast with fact-based analysis of politics and policy, the program features candid conversations with newsmakers and activists, pointed commentary, and listener call-in segments. Show also includes reviews of recent music and movies.

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America We Need to Talk podcast

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