Caller takes Thom on - about minimum wage

Marc Harrold, Libertarian Commentator & Francesca Chambers, Red Alert Politics, join Thom Hartmann.

Marc Harrold, Libertarian Commentator & Francesca Chambers, Red Alert Politics, join Thom Hartmann.

Enough with even trying to negotiate with the hostage takers on the Right. As the nation approaches the so-called fiscal cliff - I have an urgent message for Democrats. And that is...go off the dang cliff!

Thom makes the case for why America needs to fall off the "fiscal cliff." Tonight's "Lone Liberal Rumble" panel discusses the "fiscal cliff," whether Republicans in Congress will prevent unemployment insurance from being extended and how Republican governors are sabotaging Obamacare. In tonight's "Daily Take" Thom details the latest paranoid rants from the Republican fear machine.

If you think it's crazy that Karl Rove tried to steal the election this year only to be thwarted by Anonymous - then you haven't been paying attention to the last 50 years of American history. Tune in...what do Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, both Bushes, and maybe even Mitt Romney have in common - besides all being Republicans?

Following the historic passage of marijuana legalization laws in Colorado and Washington, our federal government is now under pressure to abandon its continued war on drugs - in particular its war on marijuana. Eighteen Members of Congress wrote a letter this week to the Department of Justice to allow states to be "laboratories of democracy" and create their own drug laws to address the "disproportionate impact that marijuana has on minorities." The letter defends the decision of voters in Colorado and Washington saying: "These states have chosen to move from a drug policy that spends millions of dollars turning ordinary Americans into criminals toward one that will tightly regulate the use of marijuana while raising tax revenue to support cash-strapped state and local governments." Basically, lawmakers in Congress are telling the federal government to get out of the way when it comes to state drug laws. Last Friday, two lawmakers in the House introduced legislation that would exempt states with their own marijuana laws from the Controlled Substances Act's marijuana regulations. This isn't about letting American get high when they want to. This is about ending a racist, ineffective, and costly drug war that has ruined the lives of millions of Americans. And we're winning.

Tim Carpenter, Progressive Democrats of America, joins Thom Hartmann. Down in Florida's 18th Congressional district, Tea Party Congressman Allen West finally conceded his House race to Democrat Patrick Murphy - further improving the Democrats' performance on Election Day. Over the weekend in California, two Republican Congressmen finally conceded their close races to Democrats, too. Also, Democrats kept Gabrielle Giffords's seat in Arizona and held on elsewhere around the country to pick up a handful of more seats in the House. Altogether, Democrats picked up 8 seats to narrow the Republican majority heading into negotiations to resolve the so-called "fiscal cliff." So how do "We the people" keep pressure on newly-empowered Democrats in Congress to...well...act like Democrats and protect the interests of working Americans with the fiscal cliff looming?

Dr. Ram Raju, CEO Cook County Health & Hospitals joins Thom Hartmann. Residents of Cook County, Illinois are about to see some significant new benefts thanks to President Obama and the Affordable Care Act. Starting this week - more than 115000 residents of the county will receive letters informing them of how to enroll in the county's new public healthcare program. That program was made possible thanks to Obamacare - which expands traditional Medicaid in participating states to allow residents under 65-years-old and with incomes up to 133% of the poverty level - to receive government healthcare. The law officially kicks in in 2014 - but Cook County obtained a waiver from the federal government to start up their own program more than a year earlier.

Neal Asbury, host-"Truth for America" vs. Thom Hartmann. We've seen a lot of so-called "job creators" announce layoffs since the election. They say they can't afford to pay for their employees health insurance. But that's not the reality. There's a new report out that corporate America doesn't want you to see - and we'll expose it

Mike Papantonio, Ring of Fire Radio, After the 2012 shellacking - Republicans have learned two very important lessons. One - they have to lie more. And two - they have to suppress the minority vote more. In just a moment - what's in store for the country over the next few years as one of the two major political parties goes completely insane

Last night - Bill O'Reilly lamented about the changing American electorate and how "untraditional" those Americans are that voted for President Obama. Unlike all the super-rich people who voted for Mitt Romney - they didn't want the government to give them anything, did they? All the big oil corporations didn't support Romney so they could receive $40 billion more in subsidies, did they? All the banksters on Wall Street didn't support Romney so they could keep their tax loopholes that allow them to pay a lower rate than most working class Americans, did they? All the defense contractors in Virginia didn't support Romney so they could get another 2 trillion in defense contracts, did they? Those are the real gifts! Whereas stuff like healthcare, college assistance, citizenship, privacy - those aren't gifts, Bill, those are basic rights. Those are the bare minimum that people need in this country in order to make it. But the point O'Reilly is really trying to make is the same point that scared white men have been making for decades.

Thom talks with attorney and radio host Mike Papantonio about Republican attempts to disenfranchise "untraditional voters." Also discussed: why retailers refuse to pay their workers an honest wage, how Obamacare will soon be benefiting citizens in Cook County, IL and if the DOJ will protect states' rights when it comes to marijuana. In tonight's "Daily Take" Thom gives more proof why Anonymous' claim that Rove's attempt to steal the election isn't so far-fetched.

Remember on election night - when Karl Rove questioned Fox News' call that Ohio had gone for President Obama? Well it turns out hacker group extraordinaire Anonymous may have had something to do with that...or did he (or she)?

The Good! *Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D)* Massachusetts is set to allow undocumented immigrants under the federal deferred action program to pay in-state tuition at the Bay State's public universities. Gov. Patrick will direct the state board of higher education to grant in-state tuition rates to any student who has a work permit. This directive will take effect immediately - and will greatly lower the costs of higher education for immigrant students. For example - UMASS Amherst currently costs nearly $27000 dollars for out of state students - compared to around $13000 dollars for in-state students. Here's to Gov. Patrick for allowing undocumented immigrants in his state the chance to improve their lives.