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21st Century Democrats is proud to bring you AmericasDemocrats.org, the weekly netcast for stand-up Democrats that explores progressive perspectives on public policy, economic debates, foreign affairs and national politics. With regular contributors who include Texan populist Jim Hightower and provocative media commentator Bill Press, AmericasDemocrats.org seeks to become a salon of the nation’s most prominent Democrats. We're all about giving progressive Democrats tools you need to fight back against the Tea Party Republicans. So progressives, populists, liberals, Democrats and independents, sit back and listen -- then stand up and fight!

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  2. #358 - December 17, 2017

#358 - December 17, 2017

Dec 18, 2017

"Progressives turning the Tide" How voters in Maine turned a corner or Medicaid. How legislators in Kansas turned around a bad tax cut bill. And how democrats in Alabama turned red ... into blue.

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This week, heathcare organizer Jennie Pirkl on how Maine became the first state to expand Medicaid by a ballot initiative Tuesday, Nov. 7. .  Kansas State Senator Anthony Hensley on how legislators in his state confronted a bad tax cut bill and …. ended it. And Bill Press with Jess O'Connell, CEO of the  Democratic National Committee,  on the role of women in electing Doug Jones in Alabama and the DNC strategy to keep winning elections in the era of Donald Trump

 

Jennie Pirkl

Last November, voters in Maine went to the polls and  overwhemingly voted YES to a ballot measure to expand Medicaid, allowing many more low income residents to receive health insurance. That makes Maine the first in the nation to use a citizen’s initiative to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.  It took an enormous on-the-ground campaign and Jennie Pirkl was in the middle of it. She is a Healthcare Organizer with Maine People’s Alliance and served as the Campaign Manager for  Mainers for Healthcare

 

Anthony Hensley

In 2012, Kansas Republican Governor Sam Brownback enacted a massive tax cut plan with a promise that supply side economics.  Five years later, faced with an exploding deficit, Democrat AND Republican legislators in Kansas voted to roll back the tax cuts.  The “ experiment” was a failure … and now, it’s a cautionary tale for the rest of the nation. As Senate Minority Leader in Kansas, Democrat Anthony Hensley was pivotal in the roll back success.

 

Jess O’Connell

Bill Press talks with  Jess O’Connell, CEO of the  Democratic National Committee

 

Jim Hightower

Back to the tomato future