• Mark A. Calabria Ph.D., Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the Cato Institute.
• Dr. James Hansen, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University and at Columbia’s Earth Institute, and director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, he is frequently called to testify before Congress on climate issues. Dr. Hansen’s background in both space and earth sciences allows a broad perspective on the status and prospects of our home planet.

• Is the voice of the middle class becoming more violent?
• If there's a protection for you when your toaster blows up, why shouldn't there be a protection for you when your mortgage blows up?
• "Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity."

• If It Makes You Happy, Sheryl Crow.
• Don’t Take Your Guns to Town, Johnny Cash.
• I Fought The Law, The Bobby Fuller Four.
• You can leave your hat on, Randy Newman.
• Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Green Day.
• Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind.
• The Mail Must Go Through, Larry Groce & The Disneyland Children's Sing Along Chorus.
• I'm Yours, Jason Mraz (video).
• You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Dr. Seuss, Thurl Ravenscroft.
• The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, Ennio Morricone.
• Let Me Think About It, Ida Corr Vs Fedde Le Grand.
• Democracy, Leonard Cohen.

Thom: Stuart in Seal Beach. Hey, Stuart, what's up?

Stuart: ... I wanted to mention about credit unions and evaluating credit unions. I've dealt in the lending industry. I've got legal knowledge of these different institutions, but I think credit unions are where a lot of people need to look at. They're set up often as non-profits, they have limits on credit card rates generally not exceeding 18%. They are insured accounts.

Thom: FDIC.

Stuart: Yeah, and they can be set up by churches, they can be set up by local institutions, it is where the action of power is, is money...

Thom: You know what would be really interesting, Stuart, if some of the progressive organizations and movements in the United States started credit unions. I am, on this program, a big advocate of two things which seem contradictory, but I believe that they're synergistic.

One is working from the inside out. That is, infiltrating the Democratic Party and participating in the Green Party as well, or, if you're inclined, infiltrating the Republican Party, you know, where there are still some good Republicans out there, and reforming them; taking them over and doing good stuff there within the political structure.

But also, at the same time, movement politics. Because that's really where the true change comes from. You know, joining organizations like Progressive Democrats of America or Democracy for America, Jim Dean's organization, or True Majority, Ben Cohen's organization, or MoveOn, etc.

And wouldn't it be cool if a couple of those progressive organizations started a credit union so that we could all move our money into those credit unions?

Stuart: Well, I think you're right. I don't think people realize how much money is made off of other people's money; our money.

Thom: Right.

Stuart: By paying us virtually nothing. And you take your corner branch that can have 30 to 40 million dollars of deposits where they're making 3 to 4% above what they pay you just by loaning it to the government.

Thom: Right.

Stuart: I mean, this would go into a non-profit to fund community centers, all sorts of programs. It also would be used for small business loans. Big banks take your money, put it into a large organization, corporations world wide, pay you nothing on it

Thom: And pay themselves a hundred billion dollars in bonuses and pay dividends to their stockholders. Stuart, that's brilliant, than you so much for that suggestion. And if anybody is listening from MoveOn.org or Progressive Democrats of America or any of these other great, great grass roots groups out there and you've got a volunteer, a person who wants to take, because I'm sure that there's a mind boggling amount of paperwork that has to be filled out and a lot of work that has to be done to do that. Look into starting a credit union. Wouldn't that be... Maybe this is just a totally crazy idea. I don't know. But it seems like a cool idea to me.

To find a community bank or credit union with a risk assessment of B or better in your area go to http://www.moveyourmoney.info and enter your zip for a list (no charge).